Diamond Princess (ship)

Diamond Princess docked in Hobart, Australia
Career
Name:	Diamond Princess
Owner:	Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator:	Princess Cruises
Port of registry:	Bermuda
Route:	Alaska, Asia
Builder:	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Cost:	US$500 million
Yard number:	2181[1]
Christened:	2004
Completed:	2004 FEB[1]
Maiden voyage:	2004
In service:	March 2004 - onward
Identification:	IMO number: 9228198, MMSI number 310404000, Callsign ZCDF8[1]
Status:	Active
General characteristics
Class and type:	Gem class Cruise ship
Tonnage:	115,875 gross tons
Length:	951 ft (289.86 m)
Beam:	123 ft (37.49 m)
Decks:	18
Installed power:	Wärtsilä 46 series common rail engines
Propulsion:	Twin screw vessle
Speed:	22-knot (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity:	2,670 passengers
Crew:	1,1000 crew

Diamond Princess is a large cruise ship owned and operated by Princess Cruises. She began operation in March 2004 and primarily cruises in Alaska during the summer and the Asia in the winter. She is a Grand Class ship and subclassed as a Gem Class ship. Her and her sister ship, Sapphire Princess, are the largest subclass of Grand class ships, as they have a beam of 123ft while all other Grand Class ships have a beam of 118ft. Her only sister ship is the Sapphire Princess as both were built in Nagasaki, Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Construction

The ship's hull was originally due to be called the Sapphire Princess. Construction was delayed when a huge fire swept through the ships deck during construction. Because the ship's completion would be delayed for some time, her sister ship which was being constructed at the same time assumed the role of the Sapphire. This name swap helped to keep the delivery date of the Sapphire on time, while delaying the delivery of the Diamond. It was the first Princess Cruises ship to be built in a Japanese shipyard and lacks the "wing" or "spoiler" across the rear (which can be seen on the Caribbean Princess.)

Machinery

The diesel-electric plant consists of 4 diesel generators and a gas turbine generator. The diesel generators are Wärtsilä 46 series common rail engines, two of the straight 9 cylinder configuration, and two of the straight 8 cylinder configuration. The 8 and 9 cylinder engines can produce approximately 81⁄2 and 91⁄2 MW of power respectively. These engines are fueled with Heavy Fuel oil (HFO or bunker c) and Marine Gas Oil (MGO) depending on the local regulations regarding emissions, as MGO produces much lower emissions but is much more expensive. The gas turbine generator is a GE 2500, producing a peak of 25 MW of power and being fueled my MGO. This generator is much more expensive to run than the diesel generators, and is used mostly in areas, such as Alaska, where the emissions regulations are strict. It is also used when top speed is required to make it to a port in a short time period. There are two propulsion electric motors which drive fixed-pitch propellers and 6 thrusters used during maneuvering; 3 bow and 3 stern. The propulsion electric motors (PEMs), are conventional synchronous motors made by Alston Motors. The two motors are each rated to 20 MW and have a maximum speed of 154 rpm. (Rated speed of 0-145 rpm.)

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Diamond Princess". 2010-04-12. http://www.vesseltracker.com/en/Ships/Diamond-Princess-9228198.html. Retrieved 2010-04-12. 

External links

• Diamond Princess - Princess Cruises
• Diamond Princess bridge cam - live