Moby taps Kongsberg for propulsion upgrade on five RoRo ferries

Norwegian equipment supplier Kongsberg Maritime has won a contract to upgrade the propulsion systems on five RoRo passenger ferries for Italian operator Moby.

Moby operates a fleet of RO-RO passenger ferries, operating in the western Mediterranean, including routes between the Italian mainland, Sicily, and Sardinia.

Three of the ships, Moby Vinci, Sharden, and Moby Aki, will all receive a Promas Lite propulsion system, which combines rudder and propeller into one propulsion unit.

Two further ships, Moby Wonder and Moby Tommy, will each receive re-bladed controllable pitch Kongsberg Kamewa propellers as part of their upgrade.

According to Kongsberg, the Promas propulsion system integrates the controllable pitch propeller, hub cap, bulb, and rudder into one propulsive unit, increasing efficiency and manoeuvrability, and offering significant fuel savings without power losses. Available for either upgrades (Promas Lite) or for new build ships, Promas now has more than 200 references worldwide, across a range of ship types.

The company also emphasized that the vessel upgrades will together reduce CO2 emissions by more than 30,000 tons per year.

“This latest investment into upgrading our fleet demonstrates our continuing commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our operations and improving the overall service we can offer customers. By carrying out a programme of relatively simple upgrades to the propulsion systems, we can reduce our CO2 emissions by more than 30,000 tons per year,” CEO of Moby – Mr Achille Onorato said.

“We’re investing in new ships and new routes, innovative services and distribution as well as pricing strategies, a strict, quality-oriented hiring policy and uncompromising attention to safety and the environment”.

“This latest upgrade will deliver significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions for the five ships, and we’re delighted that Moby has again selected Kongsberg to provide an upgrade solution that supports our common goal to pursue sustainability, reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions,” Jouni Raatikainen, Kongsberg Maritime’s Executive Vice President Global Customer Support, said.

Kongsberg Maritime has provided propulsion equipment to Moby since its early days in the 1970s when the company first started operations, purchasing several ferries from Scandinavian owners. Since then, Moby has grown significantly and invested in its fleet, including the latest new build, Moby Fantasy.

To remind, the vessel was delivered to Moby by China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s Guangzhou Shipbuilding International in April this year.