OasisoftheSeas

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) has awarded a ten-year contract to Wärtsilä to provide maintenance and technical support to its 36 vessels, with an option to add more vessels at a later date.

ABB Turbocharging has been sub-contracted by Wärtsilä in the servicing of the agreement, which covers 142 Wärtsilä engines and 170 ABB turbochargers.

Wärtsilä said that the contract is one of its largest with a marine customer, and supports its strategy of offering long-term service agreements.

Under the contract, Wärtsilä will provide individualised technical support, develop and design new components and supply spare parts, in addition to condition monitoring of the engines.

“The contract will enhance the predictability of Royal Caribbean’s operational costs, minimise scheduled and unscheduled maintenance costs.”

A customised service package for the turbochargers will be offered by ABB Turbocharging and Wärtsilä, including scheduled and unscheduled spare parts and labour at ABB workshop.

Wärtsilä four-stroke engines director Kimmo Kohtamäki said: “By combining the knowledge from the customer’s side with the knowledge and experience from Wärtsilä and ABB, we made this agreement a reality.”

“The contract will enhance the predictability of Royal Caribbean’s operational costs, minimise scheduled and unscheduled maintenance costs, as well as optimise the planning of maintenance and spare parts deliveries.”

ABB Turbocharging senior vice-president and sales, marketing and service global head Axel Kettmann added: “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 their passengers and their business.”

ABB Turbocharging engages in the production and maintenance of turbochargers for 500kW to over 80MW diesel and gas engines.


Image: Oasis of the Seas is one of the 36 vessels in the Royal Caribbean Cruises fleet that will be covered by the new maintenance and support agreement. Photo: courtesy of Wärtsilä.