Everyday cruise companies are given the task to become a more environmentally friendly towards the waters of the open seas, the shores, as well as the air. Guidelines are drafted for cruise companies, as well as other water transportation vessels, with every new research done by environmentalists and governmental pushes for companies and vessels to be held at a higher standard in preventing the pollution of our environment.

Some companies, such as the Royal Caribbean, take those guidelines to the next level in preserving energy, as well as the environment. While the Royal Caribbean fleet grows rapidly every year the sense of responsibility is presented especially with the presentation of their new class of ships which is taking shape and form under the name of the Project Sunshine. The Project Sunshine is a new secret class of cruise ships that the RCCL is bringing to the all-inclusive vacationers and will be 158,000 gt and handle about 4,100 passengers. This class of ships will be equipped with azipods from ABB in order to provide the propulsion. The azipods would be able to provide complete power and propulsion to the two new cruise ships which are built by Meyer Werft.

ABB will supply a complete electrical systems for the new class of ships which includes power generation and distribution systems, thruster motors, as well as two 20.5 MW propulsion systems including transformers, drives and two Azipod XO propulsion units. These propulsion units are expected to use a lot less fuel than the traditional systems, as well as provide better maneuverability in all operating conditions. By increasing the fuel efficiency of the new class of ships which would be considered mega-tons and by using less fuel for longer distances at a time, the cruise ships would produce a lot less pollution in the air as well as a lot less polluted waste.