Rolls-Royce wins contract to supply fuel efficient Promas Lite system for AIDA Cruises of Germany

Rolls-Royce Plc has won a contract to supply its innovative Promas Lite propulsion system to German based company AIDA Cruises as part of a technical upgrade of their Sphinx series cruise ships.

Promas Lite is an integrated propeller and rudder system that increases efficiency and manoeuvrability, and is designed specifically for retrofitting to existing ships.

AIDA Cruises, part of the Carnival Group, will install Promas Lite on their AidaSol cruise ship during dry docking in December this year.

Andy Marsh, Rolls-Royce, President - Services said: "Fuel efficiency is a key driver for our customers and we’re pleased to welcome AIDA Cruises into the group of leading cruise operators that are choosing Promas Lite as a relatively simple upgrade that will significantly reduce operating costs.

“The fuel savings achieved by this system are typically in the range of four to six per cent depending on the type of operation. Savings can increase beyond 20 per cent when combined with an adapted operating profile and propeller blade design. The solution is proving more and more attractive to our customers.”

With installation taking place during routine dry docking, and a relatively short return on investment for operators, Promas Lite is gaining popularity with ship owners, and since first launched in 2008, 15 cruise ships and ferries have been fitted. The propulsion system is suitable for a wide range of ship types and other future orders include fishing vessels and cargo ships.

1. Rolls-Royce is a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, and has established a strong position in global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy.
2. As a result of this strategy, Rolls-Royce has a broad customer base comprising more than 300 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 4,000 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in more than 80 countries.
3. Annual underlying revenue was £12.2 billion in 2012, of which more than half came from the provision of services. The firm and announced order book stood at £60.1 billion at 31 December 2012, providing visibility of future levels of activity.
4. Rolls-Royce employs over 45,000 people in offices, manufacturing and service facilities in over 50 countries. Over 14,000 of these employees are engineers.
5. In 2012, Rolls-Royce invested £919 million on research and development, two thirds of which had the objective of further improving the environmental performance of its products, in particular reducing emissions.
6. Rolls-Royce supports a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which connect the company’s engineers with the forefront of scientific research.
7. The Group has a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate recruitment and to further developing employee skills.