Wärtsilä to develop new engine, diesel-electric marine propulsion

7 February 2000

Carnival Corporation, a Florida-based cruise line company, announced that it has entered into a working partnership with Wärtsilä NSD to develop a smokeless diesel-electric propulsion system for cruise ships.

Prototypes of the new engine are expected to be available later this year for laboratory testing and are expected to be available commercially in 2001. Following successful completion of testing, Carnival plans to utilize those engines on its future new ships.

The new propulsion system will utilize a new, low emission, common rail diesel engine incorporating a direct water injection system. The water injection system reduces nitrogen oxides emissions by spraying water into the combustion chamber to cool it down immediately prior to injecting the fuel. Cooling down the combustion chamber reduces nitrogen oxides formation, which occurs at high temperatures.

Carnival said that in addition to being utilized on future new build orders, powerplants on several vessels currently under construction could be converted to the new engines. Additionally, Carnival plans environmental conversions on several of its existing vessels.

Carnival Corporation is comprised of Carnival Cruise Lines, the world’s largest cruise line based on passengers carried, Holland America Line, Windstar Cruises, Cunard Line Limited, which operates the Cunard and Seabourn cruise brands, and interests in Costa Cruises and Airtours plc. Combined, Carnival Corporation’s various brands operate 45 ships in the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe and other worldwide destinations.

Wärtsilä NSD Corporation, the world’s leading supplier of cruise ship propulsion machinery, is a Finnish engineering group with global operations. It is a provider of ship propulsion systems and equipment, as well as of high efficiency, fuel-flexible power solutions on land. Net sales of Wärtsilä NSD were euro 1.8 billion in 1998, and it employs 9,500 people. Wärtsilä NSD is the core division of the Finnish Metra Corporation.

Source: Carnival Corporation