Holland American Line News

ABB shore power connectors retrofitted to three Holland America Line vessels will help these ships achieve low emissions in port anywhere in the world.Cruise line Holland American Line will retrofit three of its vessels with ABB’s innovative shore power connectors that allow the ships to draw on land-based electrical grids when docked in port.Holland America Line proactively encompasses programs that aim to reduce emissions and comply with international regulations and environmental guidelines – and seeks to exceed these requirements wherever possible.

For the third consecutive year, Holland America Line, together with sister line Seabourn, was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute, a leading business ethics think-tank. The company secured its spot on the list by implementing and maintaining business practices and initiatives that are instrumental to company success and benefit the community. Named in the Leisure and Hospitality category, Holland America Line/Seabourn is one of 144 total honorees representing 41 industries from around the world. Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Ethics Officer Kelly Clark and Emmely Kik, Manager, Ethics and Compliance, accepted the 2014 World’s Most Ethical Companies award at an event March 20 in New York City.

Holland America Line is enhancing the Terrace Grill on its 15 premium ships and rebranding the popular lunch spot as “Dive-In at the Terrace Grill.” The outdoor bistro-style grill area by the ships’ Lido pool will feature new signature burgers, hot dogs and fries. The first ships to open the new gourmet grill were ms Eurodam, ms Amsterdam and ms Maasdam. The remaining ships in the fleet will be opening Dive-In at the Terrace Grill throughout summer 2014. The areas will be decorated with new Dive-In signage and décor. “We’re always listening to our guests and travel partners for ideas to evolve the dining experience on our ships with new concepts…

In honor of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s work to spread peace, justice and democracy around the globe, Holland America Line has made a $100,000 donation to the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation (DTPF). The donation follows Tutu’s appearance as a special guest lecturer on a segment of ms Amsterdam’s Grand World Voyage. The DTPF celebrates young people 17-22 who are changing the world as the next generation of peace makers in the U.S. The goal of the foundation is to teach one million young people the power of peace within, peace between, and peace among all people. other and that what affects one of us affects us all. “We are truly honored that one of the world's foremost human rights activists and spiritual leaders recently spent time onboard with our Grand World Voyage guests…

Holland America Line said it will retrofit the VDR system of its entire fleet of 15 ships (which annually offers more than 500 cruises to 415 ports of call in 98 countries) with the INTERSCHALT VDR G4, opening up a wealth of new technical possibilities. "Replayer", VDR G4's online monitor, provides a detailed picture of the ship's position in real time on a chart and can transfer this playback to a notebook or a smartphone so that the captain can access an overview of the current situation at all times even from his cabin.

As she entered the Hamburg, Germany, harbor on February 9, 2010, AIDA Cruises’s newest addition to the fleet, AIDAblu sailed right past the Caterpillar Marine Power Systems headquarters on the historic Elbe River. The AIDAblu represents the fourth ship in a series of seven AIDA club ships powered by MaK engines. The 827-ft Sphinx-class series cruise ship has a passenger capacity of 2,192 over 14 decks. These 4x MaK 9 M 43 C engines in a diesel-electric configuration will provide 36,000 kW (48,960 bhp) for both main propulsion and electric power to the main switchboard.

Italian prowess in the field of passenger vessel design, outfitting and technology is near legendary status in the international marine community. Even as the grip on these high-value, niche vessels loosens — largely due to cost-cutting competition from the Far East — a quick peak a the world orderbook and recent deliveries of cruise ships quickly tells who currently reigns supreme in the cruise shipping market. Evidence of Italian influence in the passenger vessel segment is undeniable, and over the years the country's shipbuilders have catered to some of the world's most discerning and quality demanding customers, such as U.S.-based Disney Cruise Line.

GE announced that its fleet of 25 aeroderivative marine gas turbines has accumulated more than 320,000 hours operating aboard 16 cruise ships. GE remains the only gas turbine manufacturer to have its engines in service on cruise ships, the company reported today at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention. "We are setting a new reliability standard in the cruise industry for propulsion and onboard power," said Karl Matson, general manager of GE Transportation's marine business, Evendale, Ohio. The GE gas turbines now in service are configured in two different types of arrangements: 16 LM2500+ gas turbines are the basis for a COmbined Gas turbine and steam turbine integrated Electric drive System (COGES) used aboard four Celebrity Cruises and four Royal Caribbean International cruise ships…

Marine announced that Holland America Line’s (HAL) Noordam cruise ship recently began operating powered by one LM2500 gas turbine-generator set in a COmbined Diesel And Gas turbine (CODAG) configuration. This brings the total to 17 cruise ships powered by GE gas turbines, the company reported at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Conference. The Noordam’s maiden voyage was on February 22, 2006. Routes include destinations in the eastern Caribbean and Europe. The 950-foot long ship can carry 1,918 passengers and a crew of 800, with a maximum speed of 24 knots. The Noordam is the last of four ships in Holland American Line’s Vista class; the three other Vista-class ships – Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, and Westerdam – also are powered by GE LM2500 gas turbines in a CODAG configuration.