Departments

Washington State Ferries selects ABB to power their first hybrid-electric newbuild vessels

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 01 December 2025 01 December 2025

ABB has secured an order with Washington State Ferries (WSF), the United States’ largest ferry operator, to supply and integrate hybrid-electric propulsion systems for two hybrid-electric 160-auto ferries that initiate the owner’s ambitious System Electrification Program.

With the first two ships scheduled for delivery from Eastern Shipbuilding Group, one apiece in 2030 and 2031, the contract also includes an option for a third ferry. WSF has previously announced plans to build up to 16 ships by the end of 2040, as part of a ferry electrification program targeting lower emissions.

ABB will supply and integrate end-to-end systems including power distribution, advanced energy management, and marine automation for ferries that will include the largest ship batteries ever installed in the US. Based on ABB Onboard DC Grid and PEMS power and energy management system, the hybrid-electric propulsion systems will achieve substantially lower fuel consumption and operating costs than existing WSF vessels serving the same routes. Each ship’s 13.2-megawatt-hour energy storage systems will also enable all-electric, emissions-free operations on short routes and in port.

The order builds on ABB’s early-stage involvement as the propulsion single source vendor in the WSF project, announced in 2024, with the contract amended to reflect the confirmed initial shipbuilding contract for two ships plus one option.

“The Washington State Ferries System Electrification Program is the largest of its kind in the United States, and ABB’s continued involvement, secured through this new order, helps mitigate risk and ensure on-time vessel delivery,” said David Sowers, System Electrification Program Administrator for Washington State Ferries. “ABB’s state-of-the-art hybrid-electric propulsion systems demonstrate the company’s proven expertise in complex system integration. These systems will substantially reduce emissions and enhance operational reliability across the WSF fleet, advancing our long-term modernization objectives and helping people and businesses thrive throughout the Puget Sound.”

The ABB systems on board will also reduce vessel noise and vibrations, increasing comfort for passengers and crew while minimizing impact to local wildlife and coastal communities.

“This contract marks another important step in our collaboration with Washington State Ferries,” said Bruce Strupp, Vice President Americas, ABB’s Marine & Ports division. “It reflects the trust placed in ABB’s hybrid-electric propulsion technology and our ability to deliver reliable, scalable solutions that support WSF’s long-term sustainability goals. We’re proud to continue helping WSF modernize its fleet to maintain reliable service and reduce environmental impact.”

Team Electric delivers electrical expertise on Star of the Seas

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 29 November 2025 29 November 2025

Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas, the latest in the groundbreaking Icon-class series, represents a new milestone in cruise ship design. Behind its spectacular features lies extensive work by Team Electric – the marine industry’s leading electrical contractor. Once again, demonstrating why the world’s foremost shipowners continue to place their trust in the company, Team Electric’s expertise runs through the ship – from high-profile attractions to hidden infrastructure.

Royal Caribbean was among the earliest customers to engage services from Team Electric, with the relationship subsequently flourishing across newbuild and refurbishment projects. On Star of the Seas, the company worked directly for the owner across multiple packages. This direct partnership has already opened doors for future collaborations, with additional Icon-class projects in progress and discussions underway for further fleet-wide work.

Scale and complexity

The scale of Team Electric’s involvement on Star of the Seas was immense. The company delivered work across 28 individual project areas, accounting for 65-70 percent of the ship’s electrical installations. Highlights included the technically demanding AquaDome entertainment space, where Team Electric designed and installed lighting for acrobatic shows and integrated complex winch and lift systems, and the illuminated stern anchor motif which was conceived, designed, and installed within a few weeks.

At its peak, more than 310 personnel were deployed on the project, averaging 180–200 daily over a 20-month program. Resources were drawn from Team Electric’s international offices, with design support from Portugal, Poland, and Croatia, procurement led from Poland, and additional contributions from Romania and Lithuania. This seamless integration of expertise demonstrates the strength of the company’s global network.

Human perspective

Team Electric Project Manager Jake Bamford oversaw all aspects of the company’s work onboard Star of the Seas, while Project Coordinator Maria Gergely took part in her first full ship assignment involving on-site work.
“It was incredible to see the ship develop from blocks of steel into a finished vessel,” says Maria, whose family background includes links to the maritime industry and who has become a vital team member at Team Electric in coordinating complex international projects.

“Typically, the professionals at Team Electric offer a combination of technical excellence and experience based on human connections to the maritime industry,” says Jake Bamford. “It’s a blend that allows Team Electric to deliver quality at scale and continuously reinforces trust among our clients.”

ISO-certified processes and established communication systems ensured effective coordination with Royal Caribbean, Meyer Turku, and multiple subcontractors throughout the Star of the Seas project. A near-perfect safety record was maintained across tens of thousands of work hours.

With Star of the Seas successfully delivered, Team Electric strengthens its position as the largest electrical contractor in the cruise ship newbuild sector and looks ahead to expanding its presence further across multiple ship types.

Aboa Mare completes simulator model of Wasaline's Aurora Botnia

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 26 November 2025 26 November 2025

Work on developing an advanced ship simulator model of Wasaline’s vessel Aurora Botnia began in autumn 2024 through close cooperation between Aboa Mare and Wasaline. The purpose of the project has been to jointly create a realistic simulator model that the parties can use for training and educational purposes.

On Tuesday, 18 November, Senior Captain Johannes Sjöholm visited Aboa Mare in Turku to carry out an extensive test of the simulator environment. During the testing, he verified that the simulator model accurately replicates Aurora Botnia’s real-world characteristics and manoeuvring behaviour.

The project marks an important step in the development of modern training tools for the maritime sector and strengthens the collaboration between the two organisations.

“The simulator meets our needs very well when we are going to have simulator exercises," says Johannes Sjöholm, Senior Captain, at Wasaline.

The Aurora Botnia ship simulator model is equipped with technical functions corresponding to the different operation modes used onboard. These include operating in pure diesel or gas mode, running on batteries with no engines, or in hybrid mode with both engines and batteries.

“This enables us to train different ways of using the propulsion system to achieve the lowest fuel consumption and minimize emissions to both air and sea," says Magnus Winberg, Senior lecturer at Aboa Mare.

MXP – one platform for human resources management

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 19 November 2025 19 November 2025

The highly mature and feature-rich MXP Enterprise Employee Management addresses the specific needs of the cruise industry. It provides solutions for key challenges such as workforce shortages, costly recruitment and HR operations, time-intensive training and onboarding, and the loss of skilled employees. Office administration users, agencies, and shipboard teams benefit from streamlined processes - saving time, reducing costs, and strengthening employee retention.

Key benefits
– Stronger Talent Attraction - the MXP Recruitment Portal makes engaging career opportunities easy to find.
– Automated Workflows - hired applicants are seamlessly converted into employee accounts with instant access to the MXP Self-service Portal and assigned courses.
– Cost Savings - automation streamlines recruitment and HR processes through centralized data management and multiple batch functionalities.
– Consistent Learning - automated eLearning and training ensure standardized assignments tailored to roles, contracts, and emergency duties.
– Full Transparency - all Human Resources processes in one system accessible to recruitment agencies, manning agents, office users, and supervisors.
– High Efficiency - advanced scheduling tools with traffic light indicators support data- driven decisions and time-efficient batch communication.
– Empowered Employees - foster talent growth with career path planning, cross- training, and performance tracking.
– Easy Access - one secure self-service portal provides all key information at a glance, including digital contract signing, travel details, boarding letters, onboard accounts, and pay slips.
– Trusted Compliance - alignment with GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, ISO 9001, and ILO MLC 2006 ensure global regulatory confidence.

With the new regional office in the Philippines, MXP takes the next step in strengthening its global presence and customer support network. This expansion underlines MXP’s long-term commitment to partnership and proximity to its clients, ensuring cruise lines worldwide continue to benefit from advanced, reliable technology and dedicated service.

MacGregor secures order for nine new ropax vessels for Finnlines, Grimaldi and Minoan Lines

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 18 November 2025 18 November 2025

MacGregor has been selected to supply cargo access solutions for nine new RoPax vessels as part of the Grimaldi Group’s major fleet renewal plan. This significant order includes cargo access equipment for three vessels for Finnlines, four for Grimaldi Euromed, and two for Minoan Lines. The vessels will be built at China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyard Co., Ltd.

The order was booked to MacGregor’s third quarter 2025 orders received.

This order is the result of a collaborative approach with all project stakeholders, ensuring the delivery of solutions that perfectly meet the specific requirements of the vessels and the customer. The order includes two different vessel designs:

– Three ships for Finnlines, with a capacity of 5,400 lane meters and 1,000 passengers, destined for the Baltic Sea.
– Six ships (four for Grimaldi Euromed and two for Minoan Lines), with a capacity of 3,300 lane meters and 2,500 passengers, for the Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea networks.

“This is a fantastic achievement that reinforces our commitment to our customers,” says Magnus Sjöberg, Executive Vice President, Merchant Solutions Division, MacGregor. “By collaborating closely with the owner and our key partners, we were able to demonstrate our ability to deliver the right solutions to meet their specific needs. This order is a clear testament to the collective expertise of our global team.”