Inspired by the movement of a whale’s tail, ABB Dynafin™ is a pioneering cycloidal propulsion concept resulting from over a decade of research, development, and testing. With individually controlled vertical blades creating a ‘trochoidal’ blade path, the technology is highly efficient, yielding energy savings of up to 22 percent compared with traditional propulsion systems – and an unprecedented open-water efficiency of up to 85 percent.
As a consequence, ABB Dynafin™ not only facilitates a significant reduction in operating costs but also supports industry objectives to halve – as a minimum – maritime carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
A prestigious accolade
Amid increasingly urgent calls for action on climate change, ABB Dynafin™ therefore represents a highly effective tool in shipping’s efforts to minimize its environmental impact – and this has now been recognized in a prestigious awards ceremony in Madrid, Spain.
Queen Letizia with Alejandro Zorzo, director of ABB's Marine and Ports Division in Spain. Image credit: Santi Burgos 
Francina Armengol, president of Spanish Congress; Queen Letizia; Alejandro Zorzo, director of the Marine and Ports Division of ABB in Spain and Pilar Gil, vice president of PRISA. Image credit: Santi Burgos 
Group photo from the Retina ECO Awards. Image credit: Santi Burgos
Organized by PRISA Media in collaboration with Capgemini, the Retina ECO Awards on September 19, 2024, saw prominent leaders in academia, business, and science gather at Madrid’s Reina Sofía Museum, with Queen Letizia of Spain also in attendance as a guest of honor. ABB received the ‘Intelligent Mobility’ award, recognizing ABB Dynafin™ as a “technological innovation with a positive impact on sustainability and climate change”.
The perfect fit for small and medium-sized vessels
Accepting the accolade on behalf of the company, Janne Pohjalainen, Global Product Line Manager for ABB Dynafin™, ABB Marine & Ports, commented: “Shipping is facing growing challenges in terms of decarbonization, and ABB is committed to driving positive change in the industry. To this end, we launched ABB Dynafin™ as an effective means of boosting energy efficiency in small and medium-sized vessels such as passenger and car ferries, offshore support vessels operating at wind farms, and yachts. By reducing vibrations and noise, the system improves both passenger and crew comfort.”
The new concept is the latest addition to ABB’s portfolio comprising electric, automated and digital technologies. With its market-leading expertise in electric and hybrid propulsion, the company has been pushing the boundaries of technology, and driving efficiency, performance, and sustainability to new levels through the 30-year plus track record of Azipod® propulsion. The new propulsion concept will complement the existing propulsion portfolio.
