Michelle Kiener ABB Review Zurich, Switzerland michelle.kiener@ch.abb.com
Known as podded propulsion because the system relies on an electric motor, the simplest motor of all, that is housed within a pod outside a ship’s hull, the system requires no oxygen to operate and generates zero exhaust. As long as electricity can be supplied the motor can be placed virtually anywhere on a ship – or in the case of Azipod® propulsion, not on the ship at all, but under →01.
Since the first cruise ship installation 25 years ago, Azipod® units have saved approximately 1,000,000 tons of fuel in the cruise segment alone, while clocking over 20 million running hours at an impressive availability rate of 99.9 percent.
Cruising through ice
An icegoing fairway support vessel in Finland became the first ship operating with Azipod® propulsion in 1991. Early trials demonstrated remarkable icegoing capabilities with Azipod® propulsion, and the images of a large tanker equipped with Azipod® propulsion “chasing its tail” in open water astounded the maritime world and inspired the move into cruise, as well as many other vessel types.
Today, Azipod® propulsion enables vessels to navigate safely through ice up to 2.1 meters thick →02. To break ice in particularly challenging conditions, vessels powered by Azipod® propulsion navigate stern first. Propellers mill the underwater part of the ice ridge to open a passage; water flow generated by the propeller flushes the hull, allowing the ship to move ahead with ease.
In the mid-1990s, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Elation became the first cruise ship to be fitted with Azipod® propulsion. The system gave the ship unprecedented maneuverability, cutting the Elation’s turning radius of by half, while treating passengers to the smoothest ride of their lives.
An order from Royal Caribbean International came in 1997, with three Azipod® units installed on the biggest cruise ship of its time – Voyager of the Seas. Other large cruise lines followed, selecting Azipod® propulsion for its superior performance and reliability. Space saved by loc-
ating the motor outside the ship’s hull allows for more flexible design and frees up space for cabins, cargo or other features →03.
In addition to saving space on board, Azipod® propulsion also helps achieve reduced noise and vibration on board vessels – crucial for passenger and crew comfort. Passengers notice the biggest difference in confined area operations and during harbor maneuvers. This improvement in comfort is possible due to several factors, such as the absence of noise generating gears, as well as the pod motor being located completely outside the vessel’s hull.
The Azipod® system can rotate 360 degrees, increasing maneuverability and allowing even the largest vessels to dock in harbors where turning circles are restricted. Crucially, Azipod® propulsion also improves operating efficiency, boosting a ship’s hydrodynamic performance and cutting fuel consumption by up to 20 percent when compared with a traditional shaftline setup.
Due to the abovementioned features, Azipod® propulsion has rightly earned a leading position in the newbuild cruise market, powering some of the largest vessels on the water including the largest cruise ship in the world – Symphony of the Seas – which is equipped with three 20 MW Azipod® units.
In 2001, Compact Azipod® was launched: a version developed especially for rigs and other vessels, such as ferries. Its power range of 1 to 5 MW meets the constantly growing market demand for better maneuverability and operating economy.
Ferry nice
In 2020, ABB delivered an Azipod® propulsion system for the new Viking Line ferry Viking Glory →04. Speaking about this vessel, Jan Hanses, President and CEO, Viking Line, said that Viking Line’s expectations were that she would be the most efficient cruise ferry operating in the Baltic, if not the world.
Viking Line’s decision to opt for the Azipod® system came after ABB equipped a virtual model of Viking Glory with Azipod® propulsion and invited the captain to perform the run on a simulator, comparing it with a conventionally powered ferry. The captain consistently achieved a 30 minute time saving due to increased maneuverability in port. This allowed for lower speed in open water, which reduced fuel consumption on the run.
In 2020, mid-power range Azipod® propulsion was added to the portfolio. Offering power in the 7.5 to 14.5 MW range, mid-power Azipod® propulsion is tailored to provide operating benefits for owners and operators of ferries, larger offshore construction vessels, midsize cruise ships and shuttle tankers. The system is designed for low onboard height, which allows the Azipod® units to be located under the car deck of passenger and car ferries, so no deck space is taken up and vehicle movement is unhindered.
Today, over 25 different vessel types rely on Azipod® technology – from cruise and passenger vessels to cargo ships, icebreakers and superyachts.
From factory to shipyard
Azipod® units are produced at three factories, with Helsinki and Hamina factories in Finland delivering the largest models’ propulsion and steering units respectively →05, and compact units constructed at the Shanghai, China, facility, which celebrates 10 years of operation in 2021.
All factories stand out as models of cleanliness and safety. During production, the giant units are transported between workstations on air-cushion dollies. With the towers of the large units rising several stories into the air, the pods give the impression of weightless submarines as they glide silently across the floor.
Arriving at the shipyard fully assembled and ready for installation, an Azipod® unit is simply plugged straight into the vessel’s hull. Large passenger vessels can take over two years to build – but the Azipod® propulsion system can be mechanically fitted in a matter of days. The fast installation of the units means that shipyards often install the Azipod® system just a week or two before the vessel is launched.
Future proofed from berth
Up to 95 percent of the material used in the production of Azipod® units is recyclable, testimony to the sustainable lifecycle perspective that guides the development and application of this remarkable technology.
A recent independent study revealed that Azipod® propulsion for ferries could save nearly two million dollars in annual fuel costs per vessel [1]. Lower fuel consumption also means reduced CO₂ emissions of approximately 10,000 tons per ship per year, equivalent to the amount of CO₂ emitted by about 2,200 passenger cars annually.
The story of Azipod® propulsion has been written by innovative believers on a quest to deliver a new and better solution for propelling ships. The system’s future-proof capabilities allow owners to invest today in anticipation of tomorrow’s power solutions. The Azipod® system can be powered by electricity generated from any energy source, including batteries and fuel cells, and is even designed to be adaptable to energy sources that have yet to be discovered.
Azipod® propulsion is not only suitable for new ships – it can be fitted on an existing vessel to replace the traditional shaftline system. This extends the life of existing vessels, while increasing their efficiency, and allows existing resources to be utilized more effectively and for longer.
Available in the power range of 1 to 22 megawatts, Azipod® propulsion has now rounded 30 years of service to the marine industry, saving fuel and reducing emissions while delighting captains and passengers alike with smooth, precise and powerful performance. With its built-in ability to tackle new challenges as shipping sets course to a sustainable future, the next decades of Azipod® propulsion promise to be equally as rewarding. Many happy returns, Azipod® propulsion.
References
[1] Deltamarin Ltd., Report for Project 7107: Marine Study on Azipod M® – Comparison of Azipod and diesel-mechanical shaftline propulsion systems, 5 June 2018.
