UK-based engineering company, Cathelco, has won orders to supply equipment for a number of cruise and commercial vessels, which are being built in European and Far East yards.
For example, impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) systems will be supplied for a total of five cruise vessels, which are being built by Fincantieri in Italy.
One of the systems will be installed on the latest 3,600 pax Princess Cruise vessel, which is being purpose-built for the Chinese market. The 143,000 grt ship, scheduled for delivery in 2019, will be identical to the ‘Royal Princess’, ‘Regal Princess’ and ‘Majestic Princess’.
The Cathelco ICCP system, consisting of an arrangement of hull mounted anodes and reference electrodes wired to a thyristor control panel, will protect the wetted surface of the hull against corrosion.
In operation, the reference electrodes measure the electrical potential at the hull/seawater ‘interface’ and send a signal to the control panel, which automatically raises or lowers the output to the anodes. In this way, the hull receives the optimum level of corrosion protection at all times.
Cathelco are also supplying ICCP systems for two 135,500 grt cruise ships, which Fincantieri are building for Costa Asia and P&O Cruises Australia. The hulls of both vessels will be protected against corrosion with 200 amp forward systems and 400 amp stern systems.
Viking Ocean Cruises already has Cathelco ICCP systems installed on six of the ships ordered from Fincantieri. Viking has now ordered a further two vessels from the Italian builder, which will be installed with ICCP equipment. The sisterships, scheduled for delivery in 2021 and 2022, will be of the same design as the current vessels with the capacity to accommodate 930 guests in 465 cabins.
In addition, Brittany Ferries’ newest cruise ferry to be built at the Flensburger yard in Germany and named ‘Honfleur’, will be installed with a Cathelco ICCP system to protect the hull against corrosion. It will operate on the company’s busiest route from Portsmouth to Caen and is planned to enter service in spring, 2019.
