GE Aeroderivative Marine Gas Turbines Log more than 320,000 Service Hours

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. "There has not been a single port arrival or departure missed due to the GE engines on any of the 16 cruise ships currently in service, thanks to the superior performance of the LM2500 and LM2500+ gas turbines." Configurations 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; and six LM2500+ and three LM2500 gas turbines are used in COmbined Diesel And Gas turbine (CODAG) arrangements aboard four Princess Cruises, one Cunard Line and three Holland American Line cruise ships. In 2006, an additional LM2500 gas turbine will begin service in a CODAG system on Holland America Line's Noordam cruise ship. See a separate fact sheet that lists the GE gas turbines, cruise ships, and type of configurations. Keeping Reliability High High reliability of gas turbines aboard cruise ships is due to preventative maintenance programs in place. Routine, preventative maintenance is scheduled to complement cruise ship itineraries. In fact, because of this maintenance program, the high time engine - GE's LM2500+ that is part of the Royal Caribbean/Celebrity Cruises fleet -- has accumulated 25,000 hours without maintenance. Average time between maintenance activities, including hot section refurbishment, has significantly exceeded initial estimates. As a result, ship operators realize reduced maintenance costs and increased flexibility in maintenance planning. Through normal inspections and monitoring, maintenance events have been able to be planned. For instance, gas generator exchanges have been scheduled during port stays, with the plant ready to return to service in less than 11 hours. The gas turbines for all of cruise ship applications mentioned were manufactured at GE Transportation's Evendale facility and packaged at GE Energy's Houston, Texas plant.