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Carnival Corporation has sealed a contract with Meyer Werft to build four liquefied natural gas(LNG)-powered cruise ships.

The contract forms part of a larger, previously announced strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with shipbuilders Meyer Werft and Fincantieri S.p.A for nine new ship orders between 2019 and 2022.

The four new ships are to also feature what Carnival describes as "a revolutionary green cruising design", and are set to be the first cruise vessels to be powered at sea by LNG.

The four new ships will be the first in the cruise industry to use LNG in dual-powered hybrid engines to power the ship both in port and on the open sea. LNG will be stored onboard and used to generate 100 percent power at sea - another industry-first.

The company said two of the ships will be manufactured for AIDA Cruises at Meyer Werft's shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The other two vessels are to be built at Meyer Werft's shipyard in Turku, Finland.

Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald said the contract was consistent with its "measured capacity growth strategy" to replace ships with less efficient capacity with newer, larger and more fuel efficient vessels over time.

"We are looking forward to executing on the next step in our fleet enhancement plan," said Donald. "At a cost per berth in line with our existing order book, these new ships will enhance the return profile of our fleet. These are exceptionally efficient ships with incredible cabins and public spaces featuring a design inspired by Micky Arison and Michael Thamm and developed by our new build teams." Arison is chairman of the board of directors for Carnival Corporation & plc and Thamm is CEO of the Costa Group, which includes AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises.

Donald added: "It will be exciting to see our shipbuilding team bring these new ships to life. Every step of the way, our focus is on designing state-of-the-art ships that provide a vacation experience our guests will love, and we are putting all of our creative energy and resources into making sure we achieve that goal."

"These ships will expand our leadership position for the Costa Group, the market leader in all the major European markets," said Thamm. "These will be spectacular ships designed specifically for our guests who sail on our Costa Group brands."

Bernard Meyer, CEO of Meyer Werft, said: "In past years, we have built seven highly successful ships for AIDA Cruises. We are honored that Carnival Corporation has entrusted us with the implementation of this ambitious shipbuilding program, and we look forward to building these four magnificent ships."

"As part of each shipbuilding company's long-term strategic partnership with Carnival Corporation, additional new ship orders are being explored over the coming decade," Carnival said.

Image: Carnival Pride.