ABB wins US$180m in orders

The six ships include two for Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), two for Royal Caribbean International and one each for Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Lines.

Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head, Process Automation, ABB, said: “This is a remarkable run of orders for our cruise-ship power and propulsion systems, confirming ABB’s leading position in this high-end market.”

“Since the launch of the Azipod XO, nearly all of the ships ordered will be equipped with this new generation unit,” he added.

Azipod is an electric propulsion unit, which is housed in a submerged pod outside the ship hull. The pod contains a variable-speed electric motor which drives a fixed-pitch propeller, and can be rotated around its vertical axis to provide propulsion thrust freely in any direction.

The Azipod system removes the need for rudders, stern transversal thruster or long shaft lines inside the ship’s hull.

These latest orders were booked over the course of the year, with about US$30m in the first quarter, US$90m in the second, us$30m in the third and the remaining US$30m in the fourth.