Page 12: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 2010)

12 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News

In late October 2010, the latest of the world’s most spectacular large cruise ships was delivered from the hands of

STX Europe’s Turku, Finland, shipyard,

Allure of the Seas delivered to Royal

Caribbean International. Allure comes nearly a year to the day after sister-ship

Oasis of the Seas, a tandem unique to the world of cruise shipping.

The Allure of the Seas and the Oasis of the Seas can be termed the most powerful and sophisticated cruise ships in the world. The 225,000-gt Oasis class vessels are 1184.4 ft. (361m) in length, and Al- lure of the Seas can accommodate 6,360 passengers at maximum. In comparison, the Song of Norway delivered to the same customer in 1970 was 551 ft. (168m) long with a gross tonnage of 18,400. To put it simply, Allure of the

Seas is approximately 12 times as large.

The building contract was signed on

April 2007, and production was launched on February 4, 2008. The keel laying of the Allure of the Seas started on Decem- ber 2, 2008, and the vessel was launched for the first time on November 20, 2009.

Along with the massive size of the ship comes a parallel portion of activities and function, a development premised on the expectation of the cruising public as much as the technical capability of ma- rine designers and suppliers. Allure of the

Seas has a number of new restaurants and shops, including the first onboard inter- active gallery and sales outlet of the pop artist Romero Britto; Guess, a famous fashion brands, is opening its first on- board boutique in the Allure of the Seas; and the ship is home to the first-ever “Starbucks” at sea. The novelty of the Al- lure of the Seas is a 3D movie theatre.

The Amber theatre in the Entertainment

Place opens up a new dimension with 3D movies. The Entertainment Place also or- ganizes musical evenings, dancing classes and competitions.

A key requirement for any large pas- senger vessel is that evacuation of the ship must be as easy as that of smaller vessels. The Allure of the Seas was built to conform with the latest international safety rules. Following the ”Safe return to port” principle, evacuation of the ves- sel can in most cases be avoided. In other words, the ship will remain functional even in case of an accident, and it will be able to return to port under its own power.

Oasis class ships feature a Safety Center which is built as a separate space on the bridge to enhance the efficiency of emer- gency response.

Allure of the Seas has 18 lifeboats. On the largest cruise ship in the world, the lifeboats are 55.7 ft. (17m) long and can accommodate 370 people each, provid- ing space for every passenger onboard.

Two independent engines and rudders are used to power and steer the lifeboats, which also have features such as a GPS system and toilets. In addition to 18 lifeboats, the ship has two fast rescue boats and four MES evacuation chute points.

Great Ship = Green Ship

STX Europe has made green values a priority, which are showcased in the Al- lure of the Seas. An important role is played by correct decisions related to hull shape, selection of machinery, or the fuel, electric, heating and ventilation systems made from the design stages on. Special attention was paid to energy efficiency, minimization of emissions, water purifi- cation, waste management and lifecycle approach alike. Despite its large size, the fuel economy of the ship is top class.

The Allure of the Seas has four bow propellers with a diameter of 13.1 ft. (4 m) each. The output of each propeller is 5.5 MW. The main thrust is provided by three electric Azipod propulsion systems, which guarantee top class maneuverabil- ity and fuel economy despite the large size of the ship. The combined output of the ship's powerplant is approxi- mately 100 MW, which equals the elec- tricity needs of a city the size of Turku,

Finland (population more than 175,000). The six engines supplied by

Wärtsilä feature a Common Rail direct fuel injection system, which reduces ex- haust gases generated by the engines and minimizes visible black smoke from the engines under any loading conditions.

This technology facilitates adjustment of the combustion process and significantly reduces the environmental load caused by exhaust gases. In February 2009, STX

Europe registered a new international trademark, Ecorizon. This is a shared group-wide strategic environment plan based on STX Europe's latest innovations and continuous R&D efforts aiming to protect the sea and its ecosystems, pre- serve the globe's natural resources and limit the harmful impacts of human ac- tivity. Central to the design and construc- tion efficiency of a vessel of this magnitude is the camaraderie found in the Finnish maritime cluster, a group of maritime professional and companies that has, for several generations, sought to perfect the means in which the world’s most spectacular cruise ships are de- signed built and outfitted. The domestic content of the Allure project is high, and it has had a significant impact on em- ployment rates in the entire region of

Southwest Finland. It has been calculated that the Allure of the Seas project has provided the shipyard and the maritime cluster with 12,000 man-years worth of employment. www.stxeurope.com

FEATURE GREAT SHIPS 2010

Allure of the Seas 225,000-gt • 1184 ft. long • 6,360 passengers (Photo: STX Eur ope)

The Allure of the Seas, Facts and Figures

Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Allure of the Seas

Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .STX, Turku Shipyard

Owner . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Royal Caribbean International

Registry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bahamas # of Suppliers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .900

Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1184 ft. (361 m)

Breadth, w.l. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154.2 ft. (47 m)

GT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225,000

Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,100

Passengers . . . . . . .5,400 passengers, maximum 6,360

Height from sea level . . . . . .213.3/236.2 ft. (65/72m)

Draft (max.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30.5 ft. (9.3m)

Total power . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97,000 kW (130,000 hp)

Propeller power output 3 x 20,000 kW (3 x 34,460 hp)

Propeller diameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 ft. (6.1m)

Bowthrusters . . . . . . . . . .4 x 5.5 MW (7,500 hp) each

Bow propeller diameter . . . . . . . . . . . .13.5 ft. (4.1m)

Cruise speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 knots

Bunkers, Heavy oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4700 cu. m.

Main engine(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6x Wärtsilä . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .V12 (3) and V16 (3)

Output of each engine . . . . . . . .13860 kW/18480 kW

Main-engine driven alternators . . . . . . . . . . .6 x ABB

Boilers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2x Aalborg Industries

Radars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Fuel load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4,000 tons

Passenger Areas

Staterooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,704

Balconies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,956

Passenger decks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Passenger elevators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Lifeboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18, 370 persons/per

Structural Fast Facts • 181 grand blocks, maximum weight up to 600 t • A total of 500,000 hull components • Deck area of 25 ha, or 250,000 sq. m. • 90,000 sq. m. of fitted carpeting • 250 km of pipes with a diameter exceeding 25 mm • 2,400 km of welded seams • 16,000 sprinkler nozzles and 100 km of pipes • 5,310 km of electric cabling • 158,503 gal. of paint • 4,100 cu. m. of drinking water produced in 24 hrs • 50 tons of ice cubes produced daily • 21 pools and Jacuzzis with 2,300 cu. m. of water

The Turku Shipyard

The Shipyard was established in 1737, originally on the

River Aurajoki in Turku town center.