ABB wins the contract to power Genting's next-generation cruise ship

ABB secured a €157 million contract to power Genting Hong Kong's six "General Purpose" vessels, propulsion and digital processing initiatives, bringing the global hotel brand to sea

The new vessel will be discontinued to the highest safety and environmental codes and will be powered by ABB's Azipod® electric propulsion system, which has become the norm in the cruise industry since its introduction in 1990.

ABB wins the contract to power Genting's next-generation cruise ship

Each 286-metre-long vessel will be propelled by twin Azipod® installations with a total power of 30 megawatts (40,230 hp) and will run on low-emission liquefied natural gas. The vessels will be built by Genting's shipbuilding company MV Werften, with factories in Wismar, Rostock and Stralsund in Germany. The vessels will be delivered in 2023-2024.

The six vessels will offer guests a luxurious cruising experience, equipped with high-end equipment and can accommodate between 1,000 and 4,000 passengers, depending on the luxury, premium or modern class. Each cruise ship will have a total of 15 decks. Genting will operate these vessels for global hotel brands that want to enter the marine industry but face constraints associated with most shipbuilding locations at the moment.

These vessels will be connected to the ABB Ability™ Collaborative Operations Center (ABB) Root Equipment, which monitors the performance of ABB technology on board and connects operators with ABB experts remotely.

"These vessels represent the next generation of cruising, with a high degree of agility, a sustainable form factor and the highest safety and efficiency specifications. Known for its unmatched performance, environmental certifications and robustness, ABB's Azipod® electric propulsion system has become the natural choice for these vessels," said Gustaf Gronberg, Executive Vice President, Marine Operations & Newbuilding, Genting Hong Kong.

"With these vessels, we are entering a new era of sustainable cruising, and we are happy to work with ABB, which has proven to be a solid processing program provider for many years, allowing us to deploy advanced technologies that will define the future of cruising," said Peter Fetten, President and CEO of MV Werften.

"Sustainable technology is at the heart of what we do at ABB, and we are proud to continue our long-standing collaborative relationship with MV Werften and Genting and to select our technology for these vessels seeking to redefine modern cruising," said Peter Terwiesch, President of ABB's Industrial Automation business, with a treatment plan for the general industry, including marine.

Cruises are becoming more popular with holidaymakers, with an estimated 30 million passengers flying at sea in 2019, up 6% year-on-year, according to industry body Cruise Lines International (CLIA). In addition to the increase in the number of cruisers, CLIA reports that visitors are more cautious than ever about waiting for sustainable technology to be adopted on board.

"The Azipod® propulsion system has become the industry standard for eco-friendly cruise technology, with proven fuel consumption reductions of up to 20 percent compared to conventional shafted propulsion systems," said Juha Koskela, Managing Director, ABB Marine & Ports. "Thanks to the Azipod® propulsion system, more than 900,000 tonnes of fuel have been saved in the cruising category alone."

The electric drive motor of the Azipod® propulsion system is located in an underwater pod on the exterior of the hull and is capable of rotating 360 degrees to improve maneuverability and operational efficiency. With minimal noise and vibration, the Azipod® propulsion system also improves the warmth of passengers and crew.

ABB wins the contract to power Genting's next-generation cruise ship

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