MSC’s World Europa Equipped with GE Propulsion

GE Power Conversion was chosen by shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique to supply electric propulsion for the first two of the World Class vessels, MSC Cruises’ latest class of ships. The first ship, MSC World Europa, is now in operation at sea, and the second vessel is currently in build.

The LNG dual-fuel vessels are propelled by the most powerful cruise ship electrical motors in operation - two 25 MW, 120-127.5 rpm induction motors - which are fed by four press-pack IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) PWM MV7000 converters. GE Power Conversion’s scope also includes four propulsion transformers and remote control for onboard propulsion.

The induction technology that GE Power Conversion developed about two decades ago was first used by the world’s navies. Today, it is used widely for a range of vessels which require optimum performance and power output in the multi-megawatt classes for electric power and propulsion efficiency. This latest ships mark the 17th and 18th MSC vessels to be powered by GE’s electric propulsion system.

“For delivery of long-term performance, in-board electric propulsion technology is optimal for cruise vessels as it can deliver a robust power source that balances energy efficiency and propulsion reliability with a reduction in maintenance costs,” explained Loïc Thiébaut, Merchant Marine Business Leader at GE Power Conversion. “GE has pioneered the use of both high-power induction motors and PWM for marine operations and has demonstrated a track record of applying this technology efficiently in the powering of world-wide cruise vessels.”

Emilio LaScala, President & Managing Director at MSC Cruise Management Ltd said: “Against the backdrop of a competitive environment, we are confident that GE’s proven electric propulsion technology is the ideal choice for our fleet. It will bring reduced operating costs and improved propulsion performance, ideally suited for our next generation of cruise vessels.”