ABB Azipod Propulsion for Carnival’s New Ships

Power and automation technology group ABB announced it has won a repeat order worth $60 million to deliver complete electrical power plants and Azipod XO fuel-saving electric propulsion systems for Carnival Corporation’s two new cruise vessels.

The order, which was booked in the second quarter of 2015, will also see ABB deliver generators, main switchboards, a remote control system and distribution transformers.

The ships, to be built by Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, will sail under Carnival Corporation’s brands Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line. The new vessel for Holland America Line will be a sister ship to Koningsdam, currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard. The vessel will have a gross tonnage of 99,500 tons, accommodate up to 2,650 passengers and will be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2018. Carnival Cruise Line’s new, 3,954-passenger vessel will be a sister ship to Carnival Vista and it is the 26th ship in the cruise operator’s fleet. The delivery for this new ship is scheduled for the first quarter of 2018.

ABB said its collaboration with Fincantieri spans over 25 years, with the company’s first electric propulsion delivery to the shipyard for a Carnival cruise ship in 1990. Since then, 14 ships built by Fincantieri have been equipped with ABB’s Azipod propulsion. Twenty-four of Carnival Corporation’s ships are equipped with Azipod propulsion.