GE Celebrates Cruise Milestone

GE Marine Engines' LM aeroderivative gas turbines made a splash in the cruise industry in 2002. As this year comes to an end, several milestones including sea trials, maiden voyages and equipment deliveries are occurring. "GE continuously demonstrates to the cruise industry the reliability and ease of operation our LM gas turbines provide," said Karl Matson, general manager of GE Marine Engines. "In addition, the environmentally friendly features inherent in our gas turbine design have set a new propulsion system standard for cruise ship owners and operators, helping to make each project unique," Matson stated. The gas turbine-generator sets for all of the following projects were sold and packaged by GE Aero Energy Products (GE AEP), Houston, Texas, a GE Power Systems business and a GE Marine Engines Marine System Supplier. All of the gas turbines were manufactured at GE Marine Engines' Evendale, Ohio headquarters.

Princess Cruises

Initial sea trials for Princess Cruises' Coral Princess were completed in late August 2002. GE's LM2500+ gas turbine, operated in a COmbined Diesel and Gas (CODAG) configuration with diesel engine-driven alternators satisfactorily completed all sea trials. The ship is expected to make its maiden voyage in December 2002, and will begin its first Alaska season itinerary in May 2003. The 88,000-ton Coral Princess, constructed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, is the first of four Grand Princess-class cruise ships. Chantiers de l' Atlantique will build another Grand-Princess cruise ship, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. will construct the remaining two ships. All four Grand Princess-class ships are part of a five-year expansion program that will see the Princess fleet grow to include 14 ships carrying more than 1.5 million passengers annually. According to Princess Cruises, the diesel and gas turbine propulsion arrangement employs environmentally sound technology that supports the company's ongoing commitment to this important issue. At the same time, this design incorporates better space usage through installation of the gas turbine in the funnel area of the ships, thereby enabling an even wider range of public rooms and onboard facilities to be introduced.

Cunard Lines

The two GE LM2500+ gas turbine-generator sets recently shipped from GE AEP's Houston manufacturing facility have arrived at Chantiers de l' Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, where the Queen Mary 2 is currently under construction. The world's largest cruise liner will use two GE LM2500+ gas turbine-generator sets in a CODAG configuration with four diesel engines, for a top speed of 30 knots. The Queen Mary 2 sea trials are slated for September and October 2003; the maiden voyage is expected in January 2004. According to Cunard, "In the proud tradition of Cunard's legendary liners, the 2,620-passenger QM2 evokes a feeling of grandeur and elegance, without sacrificing contemporary style and amenities and the latest technological innovations. Sweeping staircases, expansive promenades, stylish restaurants and public rooms on an imposing scale are among the Cunard 'signatures' while the sheer size of the vessel, 150,000 gross tons, and a space ratio per passenger of 57.25, make her among the roomiest of the world's larger passenger ships."

Royal Caribbean International

GE's LM2500+ gas turbines continue to perform reliably on two Royal Caribbean ships in operation - Radiance of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas. GE AEP is currently installing its combined gas turbine and steam turbine integrated electric drive system (COGES) arrangement on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas, which is scheduled for delivery by the shipyard in the third quarter 2003. The fourth Royal Caribbean ship - the Jewel of the Seas - will be delivered to the cruise ship owner/operator in the second quarter 2004.

The COGES arrangement on each ship features two GE LM2500+ gas turbine-generators and onesteam turbine-generator set for a total output of 59 megawatts. This electric drive configuration provides for both main ship propulsion as well as all onboard power generation. Celebrity Cruises: Four Celebrity Cruises ships - Millennium, Infinity, Summit and Constellation - also feature GE's LM2500+ COGES arrangement. The Millennium, the world's first gas turbine-powered cruise ship, was recently recognized with Lloyd's List SMM Award for its cutting-edge marine technology and ingenuity that improve performance, reduce costs, and protect the environment. Of the 13 awards presented, Celebrity's Millennium was the winner in the Innovation in Shipbuilding - Passenger Ship category. Millennium was recognized for being the world's first cruise ship to incorporate smokeless gas-turbine engines. The smokeless gas-turbine engines burn a cleaner fuel than traditional medium-speed diesel engines. The cleaner fuel and improved combustion characteristics of GE's LM2500+ gas turbines significantly reduces air emissions. To date, the 12 LM2500+ gas turbines aboard the two Royal Caribbean and four Celebrity Cruises ships have accumulated more than 100,000 hours in service.