Power and automation technology specialist ABB has won the “Innovation of the Year” award which recognises the company’s new Azipod D electric propulsion system’s contribution to advancing modern shipping.
The company was also named ‘Propulsion Manufacturer of the Year’ for a second consecutive year, and collected the honours this week during the renowned Electric & Hybrid Marine World Expo in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The winner was selected by an international jury consisting of 38 maritime journalists, industry experts and academics who recognised the Azipod D’s higher flexibility, reliability and energy efficiency.
Watch an interview with Fred Hoonaard of ABB
Peter Terwiesch, President of ABB’s Process Automation division, said: “The flexibility and fuel efficiency of electric propulsion is a key enabler to performance and competitiveness in shipping.”
Azipod D, created to boost propulsion options for segments such as offshore drilling, construction and support vessels, is the latest member of ABB’s gearless Azipod propulsion family.
Since its introduction in 1987, Azipod has been utilised in cruise vessels, icebreakers, ice-going cargo vessels and offshore accommodation ships.
The Azipod D requires up to 25% less installed power, partly due to the new hybrid cooling that increases the performance of the electric motor by up to 45%. ABB’s Azipod D propulsion power ranges from 1.6 megawatts to 7 megawatts (MW) per unit.
Fact File: ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility, industry, and transport and infrastructure customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in roughly 100 countries and employs around 140,000 people.
