Azipod vs.

shaftline propulsion
Carnival Cruise Lines Fantasy class consists of eight sister ships
M/S Fantasy
Identical hull form
M/S Elation

six with
diesel-electric shaft line
and last two with
Azipods
21-July-2000 / Matti
Nuuttila
Azipod vs. shaftline propulsion

Sea trial experiences of M/S Elation

the final speed of the Elation at full power of 214 MW

was circa 0,55 knots higher than the mean value of corresponding
speeds of the previous six Fantasy-class ship

corresponds a reduction of circa 7,5 to 9 per cent in the

need of propulsion power to achieve original speed

typical cruise ship operation profile this reduction in power means a

fuel saving of circa 40 tons during one week.
From: Practical Design of Ships and Mobile Units
M.W. Oosterveld & S.G. Tan, editors.
21-July-2000 / Matti
Nuuttila
 Mechanical vs. Diesel-Electric
transmission
Diesel-Electric Mechanical

Prime mover h = 0,36-0,43 h = 0,05-0,43 Prime mover

Generator h = 0,95-0,97 h = 0,96-0,98 Reduction gear
Switch board h = 0,995 h = 0,995 Shaft line bearings
Fq converter h = 0,97-0,985 h = 0,995 Stern tube bearing
Propulsion h= h= CP propeller
motor 0,955-0,974 0,945-0,975 /FP propeller
Total propulsion Ph Ph Total propulsion
train = 0,264-0,397 = 0,045-0,407 train

21-July-2000 / Matti
Nuuttila
Azipod vs. other propulsion methods
h [%] Optimal operation area
50
Azipods
45 Optimal operation area
mechanical drive
Efficiency from diesel to propeller

40
Azipod propulsion
four prime movers
optimized hull form

Azipod propulsion
four prime movers
25 nonoptimized hull form

Diesel-electric propulsion
four prime movers
Mechanical propulsion
one prime mover

10 P [%]

50 60 100 [MCR]
21-July-2000 / Matti
Nuuttila
Constructional Benefits

Simplified steel
structure

No aligning of shafts
and bearings

One-lift installation of
the Azipod unit

Building time in dry-

dock is reduced

21-July-2000 / Matti
Nuuttila
Operational Benefits

Manoeuvring
Good coursekeeping stability
Short crash stop distance
Small turning circle

21-July-2000 / Matti
Nuuttila
 Increased side thrust capacity

Manoeuvring
Excellent for dp- and joystick
operation
Safer and faster harbour
operations
Reduced power demand for
manoeuvring

Stern Rudders Flap Azipods

thrusters rudders

Total transverse thrust with 3 MW

21-July-2000 / Matti
Nuuttila
Reduced exhaust emissions

Environmental Aspects
Reduced exhaust emissions
Improved safety of
navigation through
redundancy and excellent
steerability

21-July-2000 / Matti
Nuuttila
Main Component lifetime

Propulsion Motor > 30 years

Thrust bearing > 100 000 hours Simple

construction
Propeller bearing > 100 000 hours gives
better
Shaft sealing system > 5 years reliability

Main gear wheel > 30 years

21-July-2000 / Matti
Nuuttila