By
Rebecca Gibson |
Marine solutions and services provider Wärtsilä has signed a ten-year maintenance and technical support agreement with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL), which includes a subcontract with ABB Turbocharging.
The agreement is one of the largest between Wärtsilä and a marine customer and covers 142 Wärtsilä engines and 170 ABB turbochargers in 36 of RCL’s vessels – including 32 already in operation and four newbuilds – with an option to add more ships in the future.
As part of the contract, Wärtsilä will provide a broad range of services for RCL including condition monitoring of the engines, individualised technical support, the development and design of new components, as well as spare parts supply agreement.
“By combining the knowledge from the customer’s side with the knowledge and experience from Wärtsilä and ABB, we made this agreement a reality,” said Kimmo Kohtamäki, director of 4-stroke engines at Wärtsilä. “The contract will enhance the predictability of RCL’s operational costs, minimise scheduled and unscheduled maintenance costs, as well as optimise the planning of maintenance and spare parts deliveries.”
ABB Turbocharging, a manufacturer of turbochargers for 500 kW to 80+ MW diesel and gas engines, will work with Wärtsilä to provide a customised service package for the turbochargers on the vessels, including scheduled and unscheduled spare parts and labour at ABB workshop.
“Our focus has always been to ensure safe, cost-effective and reliable turbocharger operations so that RCL can focus on what is most important of all, namely the safety and comfort of its passengers and business,” said Axel Kettmann, senior vice president and global head of sales, marketing and service at ABB Turbocharging. “We are very pleased to be able to work with Wärtsilä to offer RCL the very best standard in turbocharging.”
Wärtsilä has worked with RCL for 40 years and is also a long-term partner of ABB Turbocharging in several key areas, such as service agreements, research and development and sales.