Zurich/Miami – ABB and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings have agreed on a new partnership for the decarbonization and digitalization of maritime transport. The aim is to improve the safety and energy efficiency of Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet through more intensive cooperation.
ABB and global cruise operator Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings(NCL) are expanding their partnership for lower-emission ship operations. As ABB announced in a press release, the strategic partnership that has now been signed is intended to accelerate the decarbonization and digitalization of the NCL fleet. Efficiency and safety improvements are also part of the cooperation. These are intended to reduce the fuel consumption of the NCL fleet. The agreement covers 14 existing ships and four ships to be delivered between 2025 and 2028.
Part one of the cooperation includes a ten-year service contract for the fleet’s Azipod drives, which guarantees efficient preventive maintenance and thus maximum safety and ship availability, as well as the rapid completion of planned maintenance measures on Azipod drives. Thanks to their “unparalleled performance, efficiency, sustainability and reliability”, these drives can achieve fuel savings of up to 20 percent compared to conventional shaft drives, according to ABB.
The modernization of the propulsion control systems of eleven ships by ABB and the installation of shore connection technology on four ships enable the ships to be connected to the shore power grids while they are in port. This would allow them to be operated emission-free. For Patrik Dahlgren, Executive Vice President, Vessel Operations, of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, quoted in the press release, a step towards a sustainable future has been taken. The collaboration is “fully in line with our climate protection strategy with its focus on efficiency, innovation and cooperation”. ce/heg
