JULY 1, 2013 — Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) reports that its Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works has laid the keel of the first of two new generation cruise ships for Carnival's German market AIDA Cruises brand. The two new 3,300 passenger ships scheduled for delivery in the spring of March 2015 and 2016 respectively.

The 124,500 gt ships will be the largest ever constructed for AIDA Cruises. The second ship is scheduled for delivery in March 2016.

They will be equipped with many advanced environmental technologies, including the Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System (MALS), MHI's proprietary technology that reduces fuel consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through use of a layer of air bubbles blown from the vessel's bottom.

MALS is expected to reduce fuel consumption by approximately 7 percent. Other advanced technologies are also slated to be added to the ships' installations, with details to be announced later.