March 4, 2003 -- MIAMI, Florida - A GE LM2500 aeroderivative gas turbine recently began operating in a COmbined Diesel And Gas (CODAG) turbine, electric drive propulsion configuration aboard Holland America Line's Zuiderdam cruise ship. The 951-foot-long Zuiderdam debuted on December 14, 2002, GE reported today at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention.
"This marks the first Holland America cruise ship to incorporate gas turbines, and the first of our five Vista-class vessels," said Stein Kruse, senior vice president of fleet operations, Holland America Line. "The addition of the GE gas turbine allows Holland America to continue its leadership role with regard to environmental practices by utilizing clean gas turbine power in highly environmentally sensitive areas such as Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska."
"We are pleased that Holland America has opted to take advantage of the many benefits our LM2500 gas turbine technology offers for its new Vista-class ships," said Karl Matson, general manager of GE Marine Engines.
Built by Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A. shipyards in Italy, the 1,848-passenger Zuiderdam has a maximum speed of 24 knots with a service speed of 22 knots.
The Zuiderdam is the line's year-round, seven-day Caribbean ship, sailing the eastern and western Caribbean cruises from Fort. Lauderdale. Eastern Caribbean cruises call at Half Moon Cay, HAL's private Bahamian Island; Basse-Terre, St. Kitts; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Nassau, Bahamas. Western Caribbean cruises call at Key West, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Half Moon Cay.
Engine Configuration
The LM2500 gas turbine-generator set is situated in Zuiderdam's forward engine room along with two of the five diesel-generator sets. The LM2500 is expected to operate approximately 2,500 hours per year fueled by Marine Gas Oil, and is arranged with a low-pressure waste heat boiler tapping into the ship's steam system.
One LM2500 will also be applied in a similar propulsion system configuration aboard the two Vista-class ships - the Oosterdam and the Westerdam - that are expected to join Holland America's fleet in June 2003 and April 2004, respectively. Two additional Vista-class ships yet to be named by Holland America also will feature the LM2500 in a CODAG arrangement.
Other Cruise Experience
The first cruise ship powered by GE gas turbines began operating in July 2000, and since that time, the company has established itself as a major equipment supplier to the cruise industry.
GE continuously demonstrates the reliability and ease of operation its LM gas turbines provide in cruise ship applications. Currently five GE LM2500 and 22 LM2500+ gas turbine-generator sets operate reliably or are slated for use on 22 cruise ships (includes four options).
The gas turbines are the basis for either the COmbined Gas turbine and steam turbine integrated Electric drive System (COGES) configuration used aboard Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises ships, or are configured in CODAG systems that are used for Holland America, Cunard Lines and Princess Cruises new builds.
The gas turbine-generator sets for all of these cruise ship applications were sold and packaged by GE Aero Energy Products, Houston, Texas.
GE Marine Engines is part of GE Aircraft Engines and is headquartered in Evendale, Ohio. GE Marine Engines is the world's largest designer, developer and manufacturer of aeroderivative gas turbines for a variety of commercial and military marine propulsion applications. Visit GE Marine Engines on the worldwide web at www.geae.com
GE Power Systems (www.gepower.com) is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation technology, energy services and management systems with estimated 2002 revenues of nearly $23 billion. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GE Power Systems provides equipment, services and management solutions across the power generation, oil and gas, distributed power and energy rental industries.
Rick Kennedy
GE Aviation
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