CMA CGM Marco Polo

 CMA CGM Marco Polo is the first container ship in a class of three owned by the CMA CGM group. On 5 November 2012, it became the largest containership in the world measured by capacity, as it can hold 16,020 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit containers). The previous largest was Emma Mærsk and her seven sisters of the Mærsk E-class. TheMaersk Triple E class, currently under construction, will be even larger.

The capacity is 10,000 TEU if all are fully loaded 14 ton containers, compared to 11,000 for Emma Mærsk.

Symbol of the pioneer spirit of the CMA CGM Group, the new 16 000 TEU vessel, owned by CMA CGM, sails under the UK flag.

Built by DSME (Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering) in South Korea, the giant of the seas displays exceptional dimensions: 396 meters long, 54 meters wide, with a draft of 16 meters. The CMA CGM MARCO POLO is the first of a series of three 16 000 TEU vessels, that will all be named after great explorers. The delivery of the two next vessels is expected in 2013.

The FAL1 operates the largest vessels of the CMA CGM fleet and offers its customers a fixed-day, weekly connection between Central and South China, the main exporting zones of the country, and Northern Europe. The direct service to Southampton and to Hamburg offers European importers the fastest transit times of the market.
The FAL1 is part of a global network of 8 CMA CGM services connecting Asia to Europe Atlantic, the most thorough offer on the market, and which is based on 29 vessels of 11,400 to 16,000 TEUs.

In line with the sustainable development policy of the Group, CMA CGM MARCO POLO is equipped with all the latest environmental technologies:
An electronically controlled engine allowing a significantly reduced consumption of fuel(-3% on average) and of lub oil (-25%)
A twisted leading edge rudder improving the hydrodynamics of the vessel (optimisation of the water flow), and significantly reducing energy expenditures as well as CO2 emissions.
A Pre-Swirl Stator® allowing the straightening up of the water flow upstream from the propeller in order to improve its productivity. Combined with the twisted leading edge rudder, this innovation optimizes the hydrodynamics of the vessel and makes it possible to reduce by 2 to 4% the consumption of energy and the atmospheric emissions.

Technology found on board the Marco Polo

The CMA CGM Marco Polo has all the very latest innovative technologies to protect the environment.

An “Exhaust Gas Bypass” system, which improves the energetic efficiency of the vessel, reducing the fuel consumption by 1.5% at low speeds.

An electronically controlled engine allowing a significantly reduced consumption of fuel(-3% on average) and of lub oil (-25%)
A twisted leading edge rudder improving the hydrodynamics of the vessel (optimisation of the water flow), and significantly reducing energy expenditures as well as CO2 emissions.
A Pre-Swirl Stator® allowing the straightening up of the water flow upstream from the propeller in order to improve its productivity. Combined with the twisted leading edge rudder, this innovation optimizes the hydrodynamics of the vessel and makes it possible to reduce by 2 to 4% the consumption of energy and the atmospheric emissions. 

We have also fitted a ballast water treatment system. The water is filtered and passed under UV lamps to ensure that no living organism is transported in the ballast tanks to colonize the habitat of local species during rotations.

We have also modified the engines to reduce the quantity of NOx (nitrogen oxide) in the exhaust gases.

Modifications have also been made to the pipe plan to facilitate use of low sulphur MDO (diesel) in European ports.

Finally, from now on the regulation requires calculation of an energy efficiency index and sets maximum values that will gradually decrease (called EEDI or the Energy Efficiency Design Index). The target set by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) by 2025 is a 30% reduction of the EEDI. The CMA CGM MARCO POLO already meets the 2025 demand with an EEDI value of 10.37, that’s 31% below the maximum value allowed.

In addition, the Marco Polo has an electronically-controlled Wärtsilä engine which reduces fuel and lube oil consumption by 3% and 25% respectively on average. The installed engine is the smaller 11-cylinder version of the world’s largest marine engine found on board the Maersk E-class, the 14-cylinder, 80,080 kW Wärtsilä 14RT-flex96C.

A Pre-Swirl Stator® installed by DSME on an LNG carrier in 2007, image: DSME

General characteristics
Class & type:	Container ship
Tonnage:	175,343 GT 85,361 NT 187,625 DWT
Length:	396.0 m (1,299 ft 3 in)
Beam:	53.6 m (175 ft 10 in)
Draught:	16.0 m (52 ft 6 in)
Depth:	29.9 m (98 ft 1 in)
Installed power:	Wärtsilä 14RT-flex96C (80,080 kW)
Propulsion:	Single shaft, fixed-pitch propeller
Speed:	25.1 knots (46.5 km/h; 28.9 mph)
Capacity:	16,020 TEU 1,100 TEU (reefers)
Crew:	27

CMA CGM notes the Marco Polo will be operated on the French Asia Line (FAL 1) and for those of you looking to catch a glimpse of her, here’s her schedule over the next few months:

• Hong Kong (13 nov)
• Chiwan (13 nov)
• Yantian (15 nov)
• Port Kelang (19 nov)
• Tanger (6 dec)
• Southampton (10 dec)
• Hamburg (12 dec)
• Bremerhaven (14 dec)
• Rotterdam (16 dec)
• Zeebrugge (17 dec)
• Le Havre (19 dec)
• Malta (26 dec)
• Khor Al Fakkan (5 jan)
• Jebel Ali (7 jan)
• Ningbo (23 jan)

About the FAL 1 route

The FAL1 operates the largest vessels of the CMA CGM fleet and offers its customers a fixed-day, weekly connection between Central and South China, the main exporting zones of the country, and Northern Europe. The direct service to Southampton and to Hamburg offers European importers the fastest transit times of the market.

source:cma-cgm.com, wikipedia.org, gcaptain.com, 

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m/v Royal Princess

    Specifications of Royal Princess:
      •  Length: 330.00 m
      •  Beam: 38.00 m
      •  Gross Tonnage: 141,000 GRT
      •  Capacity: 3,600 passengers
      •  Engine: Wartsila F-series
      •  Speed: 22.0 kn
      •  Shipyard: Fincantieri Monfalcone in Italy
      •  Year: 2013
      •  Owner: Princess Cruises

     Royal Princess is the largest projected European cruise ship, which will be the flagman of Princess Cruises. The cruise ship was presented on ceremony in Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard in front of the representatives from the shipbuilder and shipowner in Augist 2012, 1 year and a half after the building started. The delivery of the Royal Princess is scheduled for spring of 2013, when will be laid down her sister-ship. It is expected the cruise ship Royal Princess to enter in service in June 2013, when will be the maiden voyage – 12-night cruise out of Barcelona and Venice. The cruise ship is really impressive, designed with special view of the details and luxury. The owners of Princess Cruises wanted to create ship, which will not only be the largest vessel under the European flag, but also to offer 5-star vacations on board with many attractions and entertainments. The cruise ship Royal Princess has length of 330.00 m and beam of 38.00 m. Such large vessel has gross tonnage of 141,000 GRT and capacity for 3,600 passengers with double occupancy.

   The builders and the designers promised that cruise ship Royal Princess will be one of the most luxury vessel built ever. The ship has total number of 1,780 cabins for the guests, 81% of which are with own balconies. Such large percentage was never reached before by any shipbuilder, as the design of the vessel is really innovative. The passengers will be served by over 2,000 crew members, who will make the voyage even more impressive than you have ever dreamed about. The size of the vessel allow integration of many different attractions and really interesting entertainments. The ship will have own ballroom, four different dining options and really nice cafes, clubs and lounges. The cruise ship will offer to the guests a lot of sports facilities and recreation places, which definitely will make the guests voyage remarkable. The ship has also pools and large park, where the guests may have walks and enjoy the ocean breeze.

   The cruise vessel Royal Princess has also new-generation ground-breaking class and new future-proof design of the hull, which increases the power and highly decrease the resistance from the water. The paint is also highly environmental, decreasing the overgrowth and not releasing any pollution substances. The space on board is used rational with decreasing the wasted tonnage and giving more space for the passengers, more attractions and recreational activities. Definitely the design of the ship allows it to fit to any cruise and to adapt to Alaska voyages or Caribbean tours. The engineering is also high quality providing low fuel consumption and low CO2 emissions. The main engines installed on board of the cruise ship Royal Princess are four Wartsila F-series marine diesel engines with high output power at low rpm. Two of the engines are 12-cylinders and the other two are 14-cylinders. The service speed of the ship will be about 22.0 knots, while the maximum one will exceed 24.0 knots.

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m/v Vyacheslav Tikhonov

Length  84,2 m

Beam 17 m

Draft 6,7 m
Gross tonnage 4711 GRT
Deadweight 1 414 t
Main engines 4 x Wartsila 9L26
Propeller 2 x Berg CP 

Auxiliary engines 2 x 8AL 20/24
Bow Thruster 3 x Brunvoll
Cruising speed 17 knots
Range at cruising speed 12 000 nautical miles
Fresh water capacity 120 t
Fresh water maker 20 t/day
Fuel capacity 870 t
Fuel consmp. per day 10 t cruise
Deck crane HSBC-80 (SWL 6,5 t)

At a festive ceremony in Sochi, on 16 September 2011, a new seismic exploration vessel called Vyacheslav Tikhonov was named for SCF Group, and a flag of Russian Federation was raised. Russian PM Vladimir Putin and other high government and business officials took part in the ceremony.

The vessel is designed for geophysical exploration on the continental shelf of the Arctic and sub-Arctic seas, operating in harsh weather and ice conditions.

The ship is named after a prominent Soviet and Russian actor Vyacheslav Tikhonov, a recipient of numerous state awards, including the titles of People’s Artist of the USSR. His unforgettable roles, especially the most famous acting as a Soviet spy Stirlitz in the TV series “Seventeen Moments of Spring”, are very well known in the country.

Immediately after the ceremony Vyacheslav Tikhonov started working under contract - seismic exploration work for the Tuapse Trough Project on behalf of OAO NK Rosneft and ExxonMobil. The ship will be operated jointly by SCF and OAO Sevmorneftegeofizika - one of the leading Russian seismic companies. The two companies participated together in the tender by OAO Rosneft, for the implementation of marine seismic surveys on the continental shelf in the Black Sea, during 2011-2012.

Previously, SCF Group had acquired the ship under a bareboat charter agreement with Polarcus, one of the world’s leading companies specializing marine seismic exploration.

The high-tech X-bow 3D seismic exploration vessel was built in August 2011, and is the youngest of six existing vessels of this kind in the world. The vessel has modern equipment and several unique technical features. The hull, the bow and the stern of the vessel have a special form and the ship has eight seismometer cable assemblies, she also has optimised parameters for her diesel-electric propulsion system. These are technical solutions designed to maintain smooth operations at low temperatures, supported by the vessel’s enhanced ice-class and overall high safety standards.

During the ceremony a series of agreements were signed, including an agreement with United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) on further production of these kinds of vessels in Russia.

The vessel is included in the Russian Register of Ships, she flies the Russian flag and will be managed by a Russian crew of seafarers and seismic specialists. The technical management of the ship is run by SCF Novoship, (Novorossiysk), one of the oldest and most professional tanker companies in the world.

The addition of this modern ship, to Russia’s seismic survey fleet, will expand the range of services provided to oil and gas companies operating on the Russian continental shelf. It will also give the SCF-SMNG partnership access to the latest technologies for data collection and the use of a seismic fleet, with a special focus on Arctic operations. The new vessel will reduce the technological gap between Russian contractors and the leading international seismic survey companies.

This news is another example of how SCF is developing as a strong national offshore player, with extensive expertise and focus on operating in the Arctic and harsh environments.

Sovcomflot President & CEO Sergey Frank said:

“Strengthening our fleet with the addition of this seismic vessel is fully in line with SCF’s strategy targeted towards providing specialised shipping services for Russia’s continental shelf. It is an important step towards developing a closer partnership between SCF, SMNG and the consortium of Rosneft and ExxonMobil in the marine seismic segment. The Russian fleet and domestic marine geology will gain access to the latest technologies for data collection, and this undoubtedly will contribute to cutting the technological gap between Russian subcontractors and the world’s leading seismic survey companies. It promotes import substitution of services, whilst upgrading Russia’s ageing seismic fleet and equipment”.

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