Bluestone Group, an international provider of technical services for the maritime industry, is to install Silverstream’s air lubrication system (ALS) onboard Princess Cruises’ Sky Princess and Enchanted Princess.
The two orders follow the successful installation of the ALS onboard Regal Princess and the projects are expected to be completed within the first half of 2023.
Silverstream’s ALS system works by creating a carpet of microbubbles to coat the ship’s hull, lowering the frictional resistance between the hull surface and the water. On a typical 300-metre cruise ship, this compressed air would be delivered via four to six air compressors. This reduces the ship’s emissions and provides an average net fuel saving of five to 10 per cent, depending on the type and speed of the vessel.
“We are proud to have been selected for additional installations of ALS and to support Princess Cruises in its long-term sustainability and decarbonisation goals,” said Matteo Di Maio, president, and Giuseppe Costa, CEO, at Bluestone. “Silverstream Technology’s system is being adopted by many shipowners on various types of vessels, a compelling indication of its effectiveness in reducing fuel consumption and emissions.”
During the project, Bluestone will be responsible for installing the air compressors, stainless steel and steel piping, electrical cabling and connections, and also for upgrading the ventilation systems and modifying the steel structures. The shipyards will install the air release units in the hull. This enables Princess Cruises to minimise the off-hire time by completing the tasks that must be carried out in dry dock within a scheduled docking period and then Bluestone can complete the installations once the ships are back in service.
Bluestone has also created a new video reporting system for this project. This will allow it to keep Princess Cruises updated on the progress of the project in real time.
Source: cruiseandferry.net
