Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri placed an order from ABB for around $ 150 million to offer a full range of technologies to power next-generation cruise ships.

ABB will equip five newly built vessels with Azipod electric propulsion, which has a proven ability to significantly reduce fuel consumption on board.

Each cruise ship will be powered by two Azipod units, bringing the total propulsion power ordered for the five new builds to 178 megawatts (238,700 horsepower).

Part of the order includes the largest and most powerful Azipod propulsion units ever installed at Fincantieri, rated at 20 megawatts each. The ships will enter service between 2023 and 2026.

“We look forward to collaborating with Fincantieri on these world-class ships, putting them on the path to an eco-friendly cruise. Today’s passengers expect sustainable travel, and we are honored to support Fincantieri’s environmental goals with our technology that represents innovation and efficiency like no other,” said Juha Koskela, Division President, ABB Marine & Ports.

Fincantieri

“Our collaboration with ABB spans over two decades, with the first Azipod propulsion facility at Fincantieri dating back to the late 1990s. Today, we are making further progress in our commitment to green shipping and are delighted to be working once again with a trusted partner whose solutions over the years have delivered superior performance, reliability, security and sustainability gains for the cruise segment,” said Luigi Matarazzo, general manager of Fincantieri’s Merchant Ship Division.

With the electric drive motor located in a submerged capsule outside the hull of the boat, the Azipod system can rotate 360 ​​degrees, significantly increasing the maneuverability and operational efficiency of a boat and reducing fuel consumption by up to 20% compared to with conventional shaftline systems.

Today, more than 100 cruise ships rely on Azipod technology, which has become the industry standard in the cruise segment.

Since its launch three decades ago, Azipod propulsion has saved a total of more than 900,000 tons of fuel in the passenger cruise segment alone.

Options for Azipod propulsion range from 1 to 22 megawatts, and its technology plays a key role in ABB’s strong position for green electric propulsion.

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Fincantieri is one of the largest shipbuilding groups in the world and number one in diversification and innovation.

With more than 230 years of history and more than 7,000 vessels built, the company has always kept its management offices, as well as all its distinctive engineering and production skills, in Italy.

With more than 9,500 employees and a supplier network employing almost 50,000 people in Italy alone, Fincantieri has upgraded a fragmented production capacity across several shipyards to a strength, acquiring the broadest portfolio of customers and products in the business of cruise ships.