ABB has secured an order of around US$150 million to deliver power and propulsion packages for next-generation cruise ships built by Italian shipyard Fincantieri.
Each cruise ship will be powered by twin pod-mounted thrusters, bringing the total ordered propulsion power for the five newbuilds to 178 MW. The order also includes 20 MW pod units, currently among the largest and most powerful in the ABB product line.
With the electric drive motor situated in a submerged pod outside the ship hull, the pod system can rotate 360 degrees, significantly increasing the manoeuvrability and operating efficiency of a vessel and cutting fuel consumption by up to 20 per cent compared to conventional shaftline systems.
Each vessel will also feature ABB's integrated electric power plant setup, encompassing generators, drives, switchboards, propulsion transformers, and a remote-control system to maneuver the pod units from the bridge.
The vessels will enter service between 2023 and 2026.
