Cathelco supply systems for new generation of cruise ships
Chesterfield based business, Cathelco, are supplying two of their systems for the latest Quantum class cruise ships to be built for Royal Caribbean Cruises by Meyerwerft in Germany.
The marine growth prevention and impressed current cathodic protection systems will be installed on the fourth and fifth vessels in the series which are scheduled to go into service 2019 and 2020.
Cathelco systems are already installed on the Quantum of the Seas which entered service in 2014, followed by the Anthem of the Seas in 2015 and the Ovation of the Seas which began operating last year.
The systems are designed to prevent bio-fouling in sea water pipework serving the main engines and ancillary systems. This involves fitting pairs of copper and aluminium anodes in the seachests which are wired to a control panel. In operation, the copper anodes produce ions which create an environment where barnacle and mussel larvae do not settle or breed, but are carried through the system to discharge. At the same time, the aluminium anodes produce ions which create an anti-corrosive coating on the internal surfaces of pipes.
Adam Rogers, Sales Manager at Cathelco, said:-
“The systems on these ships are some of the largest that we produce and are ideally suited to treating large volumes of sea water.”
Both of the new Quantum class ships will also be installed with Cathelco systems to protect the underwater hull surfaces against corrosion.
In operation, the reference electrodes measure the electrical potential at the hull/seawater interface and send a signal to the control panel which automatically raises or lowers the outputs to the anodes. In this way, the hull receives the optimum corrosion protection at all times.
Cathelco have also received an order to supply equipment for the first in the series of Project Edge vessels which are to be built for Celebrity Cruises in France.
