Kvaerner Masa-Yards' (KMY), Helsinki, delivered their newbuilding no. 495 in the beginning of September 1999. It is the luxury cruise ship 'Europa' for Hapag-Lloyd named in Hamburg on September 15, starting her maiden voyage two days later. The 28,400 GT ship carries only 408 passengers, which makes 'Europa' the most spacious cruise ship on the market (69.6 GT/pass.). The newbuilding is operated by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (officially Seetouristik) under the flag of the Bahamas, home port Nassau. 'Europa VI' is intended for the luxury cruise segment of the German speaking market with prices of 600 DM/person per day and well above. The vessel is designed in a yacht-like style. There are nine complete decks, including tanktop as the lowest technical deck and 'Bellevue Deck' (Deck 9) as upper gallery to 'Lido Deck' (Deck 8). A-, B- and C-Deck (Deck 3, 2 and tanktop) are mainly technical decks as well as accommodation for the main part of the crew. The superstructure is divided into the necessary fire zones. Walls and ceilings are constructed according to latest IMO requirements. The propulsion machinery is dieselelectric with two azimuthing 'Azipod' rudder-propellers (2 x 6.65 MW). The electric power needed on board is created by four sets of medium-speed four-stroke diesel engines: 2 x MAN B&W 7 L 40/45 (2 x 5040 kW) and 2 x MAN B&W 8 L 40/54 (2 x 5760 kW) with a total power output of 21600 kW. Each diesel engine drives an ABB AC alternator (2 x 7450 kVA + 2 x 7000 kVA) supplying electric power to a main electric bus bar of 6.6 kV, 60 Hz, 3 phases, from which the main propulsion motors (2 x 6.65 MW) and other big consumers are supplied. The main propulsion of the ship consists of two electrically driven azimuthing propulsion units (Azipods) with fixed pitch propellers. A synchronous electric propeller motor is mounted inside the submerged pod of each of the two units. The electric 'Azipod' motors have a power of 6.65 MW, 1500 V voltage and 0-175 rpm rated speed. The power supply to the motor is provided via a slip-ring unit. Each of the two propulsion drives consists of a propulsion motor, frequency converter, a transformer supply, an excitation unit and a control unit. 'Azipod' is the trade-name of a podded propulsion system originally developed by KMY and ABB, which azimuths through 360 degree of angle. It incorporates an electric single- or double-wound AC motor mounted directly on the extremely short propeller shaft.