ABB and Carnival Corp have signed a long-term partnership agreement to collaborate on continued ship performance across Carnival’s fleet.
This will be achieved by using systematic maintenance planning, critical spares management, and digital solutions for condition monitoring.
The 15-year agreement covers maintenance for the patented Azipod XO propulsion systems powering vessels operating within several Carnival Corp brands.
Azipod XO propulsion is ABB’s solution for high-power open water applications, particularly suited for cruise vessels.
This agreement will simplify service management of the propulsion units, with ABB experts remotely available 24/7 to support the vessels’ electric engineering crew on maintenance, based on ABB Ability™ remote diagnostic system and ABB Ability™ condition monitoring for Azipod propulsion.
The owner accumulates data about the Azipods’ propulsion performance, making spare part management and drydock planning increasingly predictable and cost-efficient, the company said.
“This agreement helps optimise our long-term fleet performance while supporting our ongoing efforts to further improve energy and fuel efficiency and reduce emissions throughout our global operations,” said Michael Kaczmarek, Senior Vice President, Marine Technology, Carnival Corp.
“We are also creating predictability on maintenance costs and spares planning, which delivers significant gains for planning, procedures and ship performance over the long term.
“We see this strategic and collaborative agreement as an excellent example of what can be achieved in our ship performance objectives through collaboration with our key technology suppliers,” he said.
“The agreement and its 15-year timeframe further strengthen the long-standing collaboration between ABB and Carnival Corp.
“We take great pride in making sure Carnival Corp’s cruise vessels get the full benefits of an optimised maintenance plan, service offering and access to our digital services around the world,” added Juha Koskela, Division President, ABB Marine & Ports.
ABB secured its first Azipod propulsion order for Carnival Cruise Line’s ‘Carnival Elation’ in 1995, and after selecting the solution for a second ’Fantasy’-class vessel, Carnival Corp has now specified Azipod propulsion for more than 40 vessels in its various cruise brands.
