Star Cruises’ new ships under construction at Meyer Werft shipyard will powered by ABB’s latest generation Azipod XO propulsion technology, according to a press release by the Switzerland-based power and automation technology firm.

The 150,000 ton ships, both 330 meters long with capacity for nearly 5,000 passengers, were ordered in Q4 2013 and Q1 2014 and will be delivered in the fall of 2016 and 2017, respectively.   ABB says the ship’s Azipods will have a power output of 20.5 megawatts.

“Star Cruises has successfully operated cruise vessels with conventional ABB electric propulsion since late 1990’s. For our newbuilding project we evaluated alternative propulsion concepts and selected Azipod because the proven fuel savings and improved safety of operations are a good match with our needs,” says Captain Gustaf Grönberg SVP Marine Operations & Newbuilding, Star Cruises.

Star Cruises, one of the world largest cruise operators, has led the development of the cruise business in the Asia-Pacific region, where it operates seven vessels connecting a wide range of destinations.

“This order from Meyer Werft for Star Cruises vessels demonstrates that leading cruise ship owners, in addition to prioritizing passenger comfort, demand outstanding maneuverability and overall cost efficiency from the vessels,” said Heikki Soljama, Managing Director of ABB’s business unit Marine and Ports. “Our successful track record in delivering technical solutions to meet these demands has resulted in ABB establishing a leading position in the cruise vessel market.”

In a $180 million deal announced in December 2013, ABB won a 6-ship order for these thruster systems from four of the world’s top cruise ship operators.  The contracts announced today are valued around $60 million and include the power generation and distribution systems and thruster motors as well.