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An ABB condition management system is providing the world's most energy-efficient cruise liner with round-the-clock remote monitoring of its vital energy-saving electric propulsion systems.

The ship, Celebrity Solstice, completed its maiden voyage in November 2008 and is the first of five new vessels in the Solstice class of luxury cruise liners, which is designed to be the most energy-efficient class of cruise ships on the seas.

According to the ship's owners, Celebrity Cruises, the vessel consumes 30 percent less energy than comparable ships thanks to the wide use of energy-efficient technologies in the design and on board. These include solar panels, an LED (light emitting diode) lighting system, low-energy HVAC systems (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), optimized hydrodynamics, and silicone hull coatings to reduce the amount of resistance as the ship speeds through water.

Chief among these energy-efficient technologies, is the ABB Azipod® electric propulsion system, which is said to typically reduce the energy consumption of cruise ships and other types of open-water vessels by 10-15 percent. "For a cruise ship operator like Celebrity Cruises, ensuring the availability of Azipod is vital, which is why ABB has equipped the Celebrity Solstice and her sister ship Celebrity Equinox (launched in 2009) with a uniquely comprehensive propulsion monitoring system," ABB said in a statement.

Although Azipod availability is already exceptionally high at 99.6 percent, the ABB Propulsion Condition Management System (PCMS) provides the vessels with an additional line of defense against unforeseen threats to trouble-free availability.

PCMS continuously collects and analyzes process data from selected and critical components in the propulsion chain to construct a continuous image of system performance that can be remotely accessed by an ABB engineer.

"What distinguishes PCMS from other condition monitoring systems is the sheer scale of its coverage in monitoring the entire propulsion system and other onboard systems that are crucial to the ship's performance," ABB said.

Celebrity Solstice is owned and operated by Celebrity Cruises, which is part of Royal Caribbean Cruises, one of the world's largest cruise operators. Almost half of Royal Caribbean's fleet of cruise liners, including the huge Oasis class - the world's largest cruise liners - are equipped with ABB Azipod electric propulsion systems.

In addition to low fuel consumption, the Azipod systems' other signature benefits include higher speed with less power, better maneuverability, reduced noise and vibrations, compact footprint and a uniquely high level of hydrodynamic efficiency.