Project Aarhus: 10 years of high performance with PMA

31-10-2017

As a member of the ABB Group, PMA often collaborates with other organisations to successfully complete large scale projects; the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland being a great past example of this - and notably our biggest project to date.

Recently, we were delighted to be involved in an exciting new project with our friends at the highly regarded Stadler Rail in Aarhus, Denmark.

Thanks to the strength of our working relationship with Stadler and our reputation for impeccable customer service we were asked to join the project, nicknamed Project Aarhus, to supply specialist cable protection solutions for 26 vehicles for the city’s railway infrastructure.

Supplying marine systems for some of the largest cruise ships in the world

At the beginning of January, ABB announced its involvement in an exciting new project with MV WERFTEN - supplying 5 vessels under the Genting Hong Kong brand with propulsion, automation, and maritime software systems.

These vessels, 2 Star Cruises ‘Global Class’ and 3 Crystal Cruises luxury ‘Endeavour Class’ will be some of the largest cruise ships in the world; the Star Cruises weighing in at a goliath 204,000 tonnes each.

Durable cable protection for all weather

A complex project, the 3 luxury Crystal ships will include a Polar Class 6, which will ensure cruising in the Arctic and will be powered by 2 Azipod D units each which will enable the ships to easily navigate the harsh polar conditions; the 2 Star Cruises will be installed with 3 Azipod XO Thrusters.

Positioned in the Northern Hemisphere, Aarhus can suffer from notoriously bitter & wet winters - snow, rain, and freezing temperatures being quite common occurrences during the latter part of the year.

Therefore, Project Aarhus needed durable and hardwearing cable protection that would be sure to withstand extreme temperatures and episodes of high strain & demand; for which we recommended our IP69K.

A connector specifically designed for outdoor applications, the IP69K has been created with strain relief and metal thread for ingress protection requirements or dynamic loaded connections between wet and dry areas, making it the perfect solution for the sometimes unpredictable Danish weather.

The robust and flexible nature of the IP69K ensure absolute security, relating to the tightness of the application, for up to 10 years; also allowing the corrugated pipes to perform as needed under regular strain.

Cable protection as a vital component of the world’s railways

Although cable protection may seem like a small element of this rather big project, getting these applications right was integral to the success of the vehicles; as cables used in railway infrastructures are responsible for a whole host of different things that keep trains running, including:

Signs & signals

Air conditioning

Coupling

Wagon transitions

And, if not entirely fit for purpose, things can start going wrong very rapidly, particularly with a project of this size.

The scale of Project Aarhus

The majority of the vehicles created under Project Aarhus were designed and built in a modular way; flexible in length, width, and gauge, and were anticipated to be run on a catenary supply voltage (overhead power system).

Of the 26 vehicles, 14 have 84 seats, with space for an addition 132 standing places - that’s at least 1,932 passengers that these vehicles can contain, and 1,932 lives the project must take care of; alongside a reliable air conditioning system and wifi for comfort.

Making a great first impression at InnoTrans 2016

Project Aarhus was first launched into the public and professional domains during InnoTrans 2016 in Berlin, during the latter part of the year, and was very well received…

… A project we’re proud to put our name to.

For help and advice on cable protection applications for ship building call the PMA team on 01264 333 527 or email lv.enquiries@gb.abb.com