FINLAND Azipod from ABB pushes forward
EXPANDING production capacity and product ranges show the Azipod technology rising to demand.
A
BB Marine is building a new production facility for its electric podded Azipod
propulsion units in the Vuosaari Port business area east of Helsinki. The new facilities for ABB Marine’s Centre of Excellence for Cruise & Ferries, will be operational in September 2007. The existing facility in Vuosaari will have
to give way to the new port, which is under construction. In Vuosaari, ABB assembles and tests the Azipod units, after which they are shipped to the client shipyards. The casts, propellers, the assembly blocks, hydraulic and mechanical turning machinery, bearing arrangements, lubrication arrangements, AC unit modules and other various parts are produced by a well integrated international supplier network. The electric systems, such as the rotors, stators for the Azipod units, and generators, switchboards, transformers and frequency converters, are produced at other ABB units located in Finland and in other European countries. According to Jukka Kuuskoski, vice president
sales at ABB Marine, the volume of the new facility is aimed at a throughput of some 40 units per year in a few years time, nearly doubling current volumes. ‘When a higher volume is needed we just
have to move to double working shifts,’ he told The Naval Architect. ‘In practise, year 2008 is though fully sold out, with just a few production slots available.’ The current orderbook of ABB Marine exceeds US$1 billion. The company is chiefly aiming to produce
larger Azipod propulsion units at its new facility, but it will also be able to manufacture lower-power Compact Azipod units there. Units of this type have been sold for the second and third Chinese Yantai-Dalian train ferry and for one chemical tanker for Swedish Rederi AB Donsötank under construction in China, as well as for one luxury yacht and some spare units. To date, some 170 Azipod units have been
ordered for 81 vessels (123 Azipod, 45 Compact Azipod, 2 CRP Azipod). Of these, 129 units on 59 vessels are already in operation and 41 are in the orderbook. ABB Oy Marine and Turbocharging employs
some 180 people in Finland, whereas the workforce at assembly and testing is some 20 own staff plus a number of sub-suppliers.
Cruise ship volumes Azipod propulsion is used aboard more than 35 cruise ships in operation today. Recent landmark deliveries for cruise ships include the three 14MW units for the world's biggest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas delivered last year. Azipod propulsion units on order for
cruise ships include the units for Aker Yards' second and third Freedom-class cruise ships and three units for the huge Project Genesis cruise ship. These deliveries will also include
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The new assembly and testing facility of Azipod propulsion units as well as ABB Marine’s Centre of Excellence for Cruise & Ferries will be operational in September this year.
medium voltage generators, main switchboards, transformers, frequency converters and bow thruster motors. From Fincantieri, ABB also received orders for a
pair of 17.6MW units for a Vista-class cruise ship for Holland America Line, including auxiliary systems plus bow thruster motors, as well as the 17.6MW propulsion units and systems for the seventh and eight Signature-class cruise ships, for HAL and Costa Cruises. Two 19.5MW Azipod units for Norwegian Cruise Lines' Norwegian Gem and four 20.5MW Azipod units for two Celebrity Cruises Solstice-class cruise vessels have, meanwhile, been ordered by Meyer Werft. The ships will be delivered in 2008 and 2009. The propulsion units for the Freedom-class
vessels and HAL are still based on the 1000V fed cyclo-converter technology, whereas all the other newbuildings are of the new synchronous ACS 6000SD drive type, with a transformer voltage output of 3000V.
Arctic activities Last year, the company announced the order for 2x10MW Azipod units for three 70,000dwt Arctic tankers for Lukoil/ConocoPhillips Varandei terminal transports from the Pechora Sea. ‘Arctic ship propulsion is a demanding sector, but we can see that this is a growing market for us,’ Mr. Kuuskoski said. The 70,000dwt ships are being built at Samsung
Heavy Industries for delivery to Sovcomflot in 2007, 2008 and 2009. The first pair of Azipod units for these ships is due to leave Finland in late March. Concurrently, Sovcomflot is also building two Arctic shuttle tankers at Russian Admiralty Shipyards for oil transportations from
the Prirazlomnoye field under construction in the Eastern Barents Sea. ABB received the orders for Azipod propulsion units for the double-acting ships, built under licence from Aker Arctic Technology, which also is involved in their design. These vessels will be equipped with two 8.5MW Azipod units of LU6 -ice class each. As for the Samsung vessels, ABB also
delivers the medium voltage generators, main switchboards, transformers, and frequency converters. This contract is the first Azipod system delivery for ABB Marine to Russian Shipyards and the ship deliveries are scheduled for 2009. ABB recently also received the orders of four 13MW LU7 class Azipod units, including auxiliary systems, for the sisterships ofNorilskiy Nickel, ordered from Aker Yards in Germany, delivered last year. Other Arctic Azipod deliveries include
2x6.5MW units for FESCO's Sakhalin icebreaker and recent Azipod units for Sevmorneftegaz's multi-purpose icebreaking offshore vessels for the Prirazlomnoye oilfield in the eastern Barents Sea. ABB's delivery for these two vessels, delivered by Havyard Leirvik shipyard, included (for each ship) two 7.5MW Azipod units of ice class Ice 15, one 6.6kV main switchboard, six 8500/2000/900kVA transformers, two frequency converters, two 883kW tunnel thruster motors plus frequency converters. Another recent delivery has been the 2x5MW
propulsion units plus electrical systems for Polar Pevek, an offshore vessel and icebreaker for the DeKastri oil terminal on the coast of Sakhalin Island in Fareastern Russia. This vessel was built at Aker Yards, Langsten.
THE NAVAL ARCHITECT FEBRUARY 2007
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