ABB Wins Orders Worth $100m

ABB, a power and automation technology group, signed contracts worth more than $100 million in September to supply Azipod propulsion, power generation and distribution systems for four new vessels, ranging from luxury cruise liners to arctic tankers.

Two new cruise vessels, one for Holland America Line and one for Costa Crociere, will be equipped with two 17.6 megawatt (MW) Azipod units each, along with medium-voltage generators, main switchboards, frequency converters, bow thruster motors and transformers. The deliveries are scheduled for 2008 and 2009 by Fincantieri of Italy. Two Arctic shuttle tankers for Russian energy transporter Sovcomflot will be equipped with two 8.5 MW Azipod units. The ships will meet Russian Maritime Register ice class LU7 requirements and will feature a Double Acting Tanker (DAT) design which allows operation in either direction. The vessels will be built at the Admiralty Shipyard in St. Petersburg, Russia, with delivery scheduled for 2009. SOURCE: ABB