Powering-Up the Finnish Range

Costa Crociere's impressive new Costa Atlantica gives first form to the so-called Panamax-Max generation from Kvaerner Masa-Yards, embodying the 8000-class design concept developed in conjunction with the Italian operator and its parent Carnival group.

While providing a further, prestigious reference for the diesel-electric mode in conjunction with podded outboard drives, encapsulated in two 17.6-MW Azipod propulsors, Costa Atlantica also ushers-in a new power rating for the popular Wartsila 46 medium-speed diesel.

The vessel's six diesel engines mark the seagoing debut of the D version of the Wartsila 46 design in a key sector of the market. The new model yields a 10 percent power increase over the 46C series, already one of the industry's most competitive designs. The cumulative effect of the uprating amounts to 5,670 kW in the case of the multi-engine installation employed in Costa Atlantica.

Making for a 62,370 kW powerhouse, each of the 9L46D units develops 10,395 kW at 514 rev/min, and is connected to an ABB alternator delivering electricity into the main 11 kV system.

An important aspect of the machinery installation aboard Costa Atlantica is its division into two, completely independent systems, conferring full redundancy.

Each 'half plant' incorporates three main diesel gensets plus fuel and ancillary systems, main electrical distribution, control and automation.

Wartsila NSD's 460 mm-bore engine series, which has become a popular propulsion selection for large cruise vessels and passenger ferries in addition to mercantile tonnage, is produced at the extensively modernized Turku factory in Finland. Surging business for the Wartsila 46 series this year has included the engine's nomination for a high proportion of the RoPax ferry projects implemented by European operators.

The design is also central to Wartsila NSD's continuing, large-scale endeavors to provide new solutions to the market's increasing expectations as regards diesel engine environmental performance at large.

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Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 10, Oct 2000

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