ABB wins Azipod naval retrofit contract

ABB has won its first naval Azipod® retrofit contract for the Spanish Navy’s flagship, Juan Carlos 1. The contract to install an electrical propulsion system at Spain’s state-owned Navantia shipbuilding company follows a feasibility study to assess new propulsion options for the vessel completed by ABB in 2020.

In addition to the two Azipod propulsors, ABB will supply a pair of medium-voltage drives. The entire installation will be supported by ABB’s service centre in Spain as well as the company’s global service network.

Although the contract covers the first Azipod retrofit on a naval vessel, the electrical propulsion system is already operating effectively on board other naval ships. As an example, the company cited the 2001-built Norwegian Coast Guard icebreaker, KV Svalbard, which became the first Azipod-powered ship to reach the North Pole in 2019.

The propulsion system’s benefits include fuel consumption up to 20% lower than comparable shaft-line propulsion systems, space savings on board, and no requirement for tugs in harbour manoeuvres. The twin ABB Azipod installation on board the Juan Carlos 1, due to be completed in 2025, will improve the ship’s manoeuvrability, efficiency, reliability, and safety, ABB said. 

A spokesperson for the Spanish shipbuilder said: “Navantia is proud to make history with the first retrofit of this kind on a naval ship. ABB Azipod propulsion system has proven to be highly effective in ensuring the optimal capacity of our flagship vessel and we look forward to seeing the benefits in operation.”

ABB Marine & Ports’ business line manager, Coast Guard and Navy, Sindre Satre, commented: “We are proud to see our Azipod propulsion system chosen for this project. We already have a long track record with highly efficient solutions on the commercial market and now see that our technologies are becoming increasingly viable also for naval vessels.”