ABB ships 20.5 MW Azipod XO

JANUARY 11, 2016 — A 20.5 MW Azipod XO podded propulsion unit has left ABB’s Vuosaari plant in Helsinki, Finland, headed for Meyer Werft’s Papenburg, Germany, shipyard.

It will be installed on Genting Dream, which is due to be delivered from the German shipbuilder this fall and is the first of two ships on order for Dream Cruises.

ABB is delivering the complete electrical power plant and propulsion systems for both new cruise ships.

The 335-meter length vessels will be able to accommodate 3,300 passengers each and will be delivered one apiece in fall 2016 and 2017.

Each Azipod propulsion unit takes about two months for technicians to assemble at its Vuosaari plant. Across town at ABB’s Helsinki motors, generators and drives factory, the powerful synchronous motors at the system’s core take shape over six months.