At the first AIDA Innovation Hub held at AIDA’s headquarters in Rostock, start-ups, technology companies and research institutions presented innovative solutions for the cruises of tomorrow. From more than 150 submitted ideas, nine projects qualified for the grand final. The DLR Institute of Vehicle Concepts impressed the jury in the sustainability category with the project ‘WoodShip – Sustainable Integration of Wood in Cruise Ships’.
The WoodShip project investigates how wood, a renewable raw material, can be meaningfully integrated into modern cruise ships. The idea was developed at the Centre of Excellence for Wood in Vehicle Structures. The focus is not on an entirely wooden ship, but on the targeted use of wood in selected areas – such as privacy screens, cladding, balcony fittings, support structures, exterior applications or lightweight structural elements.
Wood offers several advantages for shipbuilding: this renewable raw material stores carbon as it grows and is significantly lighter than steel. Particularly on the upper decks and above deck, weight reductions can contribute to lower energy consumption in the long term. At the same time, the specific requirements of ship operations must be taken into account – particularly with regard to fire safety.
AIDA intends to further develop the winning concepts from the AIDA Innovation Hub jointly and assess whether they can be tested on board the fleet as part of implementation studies or pilot projects.
Alongside WoodShip, revincus GmbH was recognised in the Decarbonisation category and contagt GmbH in the AI Tools & Smart Solutions category.
