ABB loses Azipod court case

The suit alleged that ABB purposefully misrepresented the reliability and safety of its Azipods, leading NCL to suffer Azipod failures. These failures caused NCL to lose propulsion and steering during voyages, imperilling the safety of passengers and crew, and causing substantial harm to NCL’s reputation and business.

The final award includes US$31.75 million in compensatory damages, plus an additional US$31.75 million in punitive damages against ABB OY and US$95.25 million in punitive damages against ABB Inc. To date, the award is the largest in Florida in 2022, according to Verdict Search.

“This verdict sends an important message that you can’t conceal or misrepresent critical information from customers like NCL and other cruise lines,” said Alex M. Gonzalez, a partner at Holland & Knight law firm which represented the cruise line. “NCL feels fully vindicated by this verdict.”