The cruise line Virgin Voyages will be making use of a complete ABB Azipod® electric power and propulsion system for a fleet of three new cruise ships.
These vessels — the first of which is set for delivery in 2020 from the Genoa, Italy, shipyard of the shipbuilding company Fincantieri — have been specifically designed for environmental sustainability. Measuring 278 x 38 m, each of these 110,000-gt vessels will accommodate 1,150 crew members and 2,700 passengers.
The Azipod® Propulsion System
A steerable, gearless propulsion solution, ABB’s Azipod® package comprises an electric drive motor that remains in a submerged pod outside of a ship’s hull. Compared to standard shaftline propulsion setups, Azipod® systems allow for fuel-consumption reductions of up to 15%.
Each ship in Virgin Voyages’ new fleet will make use of two Azipod® XO units — in which the “X” stands for “next generation” and the “O” stands for open-water operations — offering combined propulsion power of 32 MW, or 43,000 HP. The system is also built to ensure minimal noise and high maneuverability, allowing for optimal passenger comfort.
Other ABB Cruise Ship Features
Aboard these Virgin Voyages ships, the crew will also have access to ABB’s electric power plant setup, which includes main switchboards, distribution transformers, electricity generators, and a remote control setup that allows the propulsion system to be maneuvered from the bridge.
Four four-stroke engines will power the electricity generators on each vessel. These engines will be equipped with ABB’s TPL-C turbochargers, which are made to handle harsh, demanding operations. Highly efficient and dependable, these engines are a popular choice for cruise ships.
The new Virgin Voyages vessels will be able to hook up to the ABB Ability Collaborative Operations Centers infrastructure, which utilizes data analytics and remote monitoring for predictive maintenance, scheduled interventions, and remote technical assistance.
These new additions will allow crew members to easily configure equipment for efficient, optimized performance, achieving lower emissions in the process.
The “Greening” of the Cruise Sector
The implementation of the Azipod® propulsion systems on cruise ships is yet another indication of the “greening” of this segment of the travel industry.
As consumers become increasingly concerned with the environmental impact of their purchased services and goods, the travel industry is taking steps to become more environmentally responsible. Airlines now allow passengers to purchase carbon offsets, for instance, which reduce the effect of greenhouse gas emissions.
Unfortunately, cruise ships have a quite few environmentally unfriendly aspects. For example, bilge water, which collects in the lowest parts of a ship, often contains contaminants and oil from leaky engines; most cruise lines treat the water before releasing it, but there have been incidences of dumping. And a ship’s smokestacks release a variety of pollutants — such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides — into the atmosphere.
There are numerous laws in place to safeguard the ocean and the surrounding environment, but they’re highly complex. Navigating them can be tricky, but cruise lines are beginning to investigate new ways of meeting and exceeding these industry regulations in order to ensure eco-friendliness.
The highly efficient Azipod® propulsion system being implemented in Virgin Voyages’ new cruise fleet is evidence of the trend toward more a sustainable, eco-friendly future for the cruise sector.
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