Costa Toscana formally touched the sea for the first time during the float-out ceremony, with the flooding of the basin where it has been constructed in recent months. The actual filling of the dry dock began a day earlier, due to difficult weather conditions.

The vessel is operated by LNG and has been built with the idea of a circular economy.

The use of LNG, as explained, will reduce all emissions of sulfur dioxide and almost all relevant emissions of matter (reduction of 95-100 percent), while also substantially reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides (direct reduction of 85 percent) and CO2 (up to 20 percent ).

The ship is also fitted with an intelligent energy efficiency system, and 100% of the ship's recycled materials (such as plastic, paper, glass and aluminum) are transported and recycled.

Costa Group, which comprises Costa Cruises, Germany-based AIDA Cruises and Costa Asia, was the first to implement this technology worldwide in the cruise industry, having ordered five new LNG-powered ships, two of which have already entered service, Costa Smeralda and AIDAnova.

Maritime Business World