Wärtsilä has signed a five-year Lifecycle Agreement with Royal Caribbean Group, designed to optimise the performance, reliability and availability of engines onboard 37 Royal Caribbean cruise ships to ensure the highest level of operational efficiency to support and accelerate the operator’s sustainability goals.
Installing the right technological solutions onboard is seen as a crucial first step towards achieving the cruise industry’s goal of net-zero operations. However, ensuring these solutions perform optimally throughout their entire lifetime is essential. Wärtsilä’s Lifecycle Agreements are intended to provide this assurance and highlight the importance of collaboration in addressing the industry’s goals.
Roger Holm, President Wärtsilä Marine and EVP Wärtsilä Corporation said: “This agreement is a testament to the mutual efforts and dedication of both the Royal Caribbean Group and Wärtsilä teams. It not only solidifies our exemplary long-term partnership but also elevates our collaboration to new heights. Together, we are committed to achieving the highest operational reliability and meeting the strictest sustainability and decarbonisation standards in the cruise industry.”
Palle Laursen, EVP and Head of Marine, Royal Caribbean Group, added: “Collaborations, with long-time partners like Wärtsilä, serve as a cornerstone in our joint efforts to accelerate reliable and sustainable operations and future initiatives. It provides a solid framework for sustained collaboration and will have a meaningful impact on ensuring our fleet’s sustainable operations, which is vitally important for us and our industry.”
This framework decreases the risk of unplanned maintenance and costly downtime, and improves performance to save fuel and reduce emissions, allowing the ships to perform optimally while remaining regulatory compliant. The contract covers both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, as well as Wärtsilä’s Expert Insight service, delivered through Wärtsilä’s global Expertise Centres. Wärtsilä Expert Insight leverages AI technology for predictive maintenance helping to improve asset efficiency and reduce both operating costs and emissions.
The agreement with Royal Caribbean Group includes implementing a performance-based model. This means that gains, resulting from best operation and maintenance practices, will be shared between Royal Caribbean Group and Wärtsilä. This further highlights the two companies’ collaborative efforts to achieve optimal operations, with a shared commitment to reliability and performance.
Image: Wärtsilä has signed a five-year Lifecycle Agreement with Royal Caribbean Group covering 37 of the company’s cruise ships (source: Wärtsilä)
