Wärtsilä powers the world’s largest cruise ship, ‘Harmony of the Seas’
Royal Caribbean International’s Harmony of the Seas, featuring Wärtsilä engines, propulsion equipment, exhaust scrubber systems, Wärtsilä NACOS Platinum navigation and dynamic positioning systems, as well as Wärtsilä CCTV systems and various electrical & automation solutions, is now in commercial operation, the Finnish company said in a press release.
The ‘Harmony of the Seas’ has also been included in a service agreement between Wärtsilä and Royal Caribbean covering technical management and monitoring under Wärtsilä Genius services. The ship was delivered from the yard on May 12. With a length of 362 metres the ship, which was built at the STX France shipyard in the French port of Saint-Nazaire, is the world’s largest cruise vessel. .
Wärtsilä has also provided the engines and thrusters to the vessel’s sister ships, the Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas, thus emphasising the trust and cooperation that exists between Wärtsilä and Royal Caribbean International.
“Wärtsilä congratulates both Royal Caribbean and STX France on this milestone delivery of the world’s largest cruise ship. We are proud to have been selected to provide a comprehensive scope of Wärtsilä solutions and we wish good luck and success for the vessel throughout its lifecycle,” says Fred Danska, Director, Cruise Business, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.
The Harmony of the Seas is powered by four 12-cylinder Wärtsilä 46F engines and two 16-cylinder Wärtsilä 46F engines, featuring best-in-class fuel economy, and outstanding power-to-weight and power-to-space ratios. For effective manoeuvring, the ship has four Wärtsilä CT3500 transverse thrusters.
The two Wärtsilä hybrid scrubber systems represent the world’s biggest marine exhaust scrubber installation so far. They feature the latest in exhaust cleaning technology thus minimising sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions and allowing the vessel to comply with emission control regulations around the world. Wärtsilä hybrid scrubber system solutions have the flexibility to operate in both open and closed loop using seawater to remove SOx from the exhaust.
The Wärtsilä NACOS Platinum navigation and dynamic positioning systems are a popular choice of cruise ship operators and feature highly advanced integrated navigation technology. Other electrical & automation solutions have been provided by Wärtsilä Funa for this vessel, including a house light dimming system for all public venues, a dimming system for the suites, and a low resolution LED wall for the theatre.
Wärtsilä is a global leader in advanced technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation and total efficiency, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2015, Wärtsilä's net sales totalled EUR 5 billion with approximately 18,800 employees. The company has operations in over 200 locations in more than 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
