Page 45: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2001)

Cruise Shinniniz Annual (Continued from page 30) was chosen for the job, then the vessel would more than likely house Rolls-

Royce-owned Brown Brothers stabiliz- ers and Kamewa thrusters.

Typically taking up small amounts of space in a vessel's engine room, the tur- bines designed for QM2 posed a bit of a problem during the planning process.

The general arrangement drawings showed that the area in which they were placed was blocking off a stairway for top access to the ship. Not wanting to scrap the stairway altogether, while still being able to instill the gas turbine power, the design team reconfigured the stairway — free from the gas turbine's reach.

Specialized Designs For A

Special Ship

It is estimated that QM2 will be 10 percent larger than Royal Caribbean's

Voyager of the Seas, which currently holds the cruise industry's distinction as the largest operating vessel.

Contributing to the vessel's unique and innovative ability to steam along at such

As QM2's project manager working out of Till- berg's London office, Andrew Collier, (pictured right), researched the ocean liners of yester- year with Carnival's Stephen Payne, (pictured left), to capture Cunard's classic style. after Cunard announced that it had cho- sen Chantiers for the project, the compa- ny penned a final contract with the yard on November 6, 2000. Subsequent to the contract's signing, it was announced that

QM2 would be constructed to Lloyd's

Register classification standards, which will ensure that the vessel is the safest afloat on the high seas. "We are delighted to have been award- ed this contract", said LR's London- based classification and regional sup- port passenger ship manager John

Rugg. "This achievement clearly demonstrates the confidence that

Cunard has in our passenger ship exper- tise. We have been working hard on this prestigious project for some 20 months now, and are confident we are on target to deliver the necessary solutions to help enhance Cunard's quality, safety, envi- ronmental and business performance."

Although the first steel for the vessel is not expected to be cut until January 2002, the yard already has the electrical production lists in its hands and is ready to negotiate with potential suppliers.

While many of QM2's manufacturers have not been chosen, it has been noted that the vessel will boast a power supply of four Wartsila common rail diesel engines — supplemented by two gas tur- bines. All six engines will produce elec- tricity through two switchboards as needed for propulsion — enabling the ship to move at a top speed of approxi- mately 30.5 knots. While Cunard con- firmed that the Wartsila smokeless engines would be implemented onto the vessel (Carnival Corp. recently part- nered with Wartsila on this effort), it has not yet chosen a supplier for the gas tur- bines. While, according to Ellis, the gas turbine decision basically comes down to Rolls-Royce or General Electric

Packaged Power (S&S Energy Prod- ucts), both have formidable reputations in the marine industry. Rolls-Royce's turbines are known for their high power, despite small size; GE for tremendous reliability in naval application. Ellis however would say that if Rolls-Royce

Kvaerner Masa-Yards Inc. - the experienced builder of successful ships

LUXURY CRUISE LINERS value through quality

More than thirty successful cruise vessels in operation on the world- wide cruise market have a very special thing in common. Their birthplace is in Finland at the highly modern shipyards in Helsinki and

Turku with their state-of-the-art design and production technology.

Kvaerner IVIasa-Yards Inc.

Marketing and sales

P.O.Box 132

FIN-00151 HELSINKI, Finland

Tel. +358-9-1941,

Fax +358-9-650 051

Email: [email protected]

The order book of Kvaerner Masa-Yards includes three 137,300 GT Voyager-class cruise liners for Royal

Caribbean Cruise Line, four 86,000 GT cruise liners for

Carnival Cruise Lines and one 86,000 GT cruise liner for Costa Crociere S.p.A.

For more information on our products and services, please visit www.masa-yards.fi

Kvaerner Masa-Yards

Circle 245 on Reader Service Card

February, 2001 www.maritimetoday.com 36G