ABB will provide electricity to Virgin Voyages cruises

By Redacción PortalCruceros.cl

@PortalCruceros

The technology company ABB announced that it would provide electrical power to propel the company cruises Virgin Voyages . Through a statement, ABB mentioned that the three vessels of the Virgin fleet designed to operate in an efficient and environmentally friendly manner, to which it will provide the vessels with the Azipod propulsion system to achieve its goal.

110,000 ton boats will have Azipod, a gearless directional propulsion system where the electric motor is in a submerged capsule on the outside of the hull of the ship.

Azipod propulsion has a capacity to decrease fuel consumption by up to 15% compared to traditional axle propulsion systems.

Thus, the cruise fleet will be equipped with two Azipod XO units, a combined power of 32 MW (43,000 HP) will drive each of the three vessels.

"Each ship will have the complete concept of the ABB power plant, a solution that encompbades electricity generators, switchboards. main, distribution transformers and a remote control system to maneuver the Azipod units of the bridge. The combination of Azipod propulsion and the ABB power plant concept allows all equipment to be configured for optimized performance, which translates into increased efficiency and reduced emissions, "says the company.

Stuart Hawkins, senior vice president of marine operations and techniques at Virgin Voyages noted that "making Virgin Voyages a sustainable environment is at the heart of our vision and we are excited that Azipod's ABB helps us achieve this goal. Combined with excellent maneuverability, it was a natural choice for our ships. "

Peter Terwiesch, president of ABB's Industrial Automation Division commented:" Azipod's electric propulsion stands for innovation and efficiency like no other system. propulsion and is fundamental to our vision of electric, digital and connected transportation. "

" Based on our 25 years of experience and development, our Azipod propulsion technology continues to drive ships towards the future of electric mobility, which supports our commitment to technology with a superior performance, reliability, safety and environmental profile, "said Terwiesch.

Finally, ABB pointed out that the electric propulsion system will begin in Virgin Travel in 2020, when the first of the 278 ships meters in length and the capacity of more than 2700 pbadengers and 1,150 crew members are under construction at the shipyard of Fincantieri in Genoa.