Aligned for operational certainty

Marine industry stakeholders face increasing pressure to optimize energy efficiency and meet tightening environmental regulations, including EEXI and CII standards. The challenge is not only choosing high-performance technology, but also integrating it without added coordination risk.

ABB’s pre-engineered package pairs a permanent magnet shaft generator with the ACS880 drive in one coordinated solution. By resolving key system interfaces upfront, it supports higher vessel efficiency and reduced fuel costs, while enabling a more predictable path from engineering to operation across newbuild and retrofit projects.
Backed by ABB’s global support network, it also decreases lifecycle costs and safeguards vessel uptime.

ABB’s PM shaft generator and ACS880 drive package

Key benefits

Market-leading efficiency

<p>The PM generator achieves up to 98% efficiency across typical speed ranges, significantly outperforming induction- and synchronous-based systems.</p>

Decarbonization support

<p>The powertrain package reduces fuel costs by ~4% and significantly cuts CO₂ emissions, supporting long-term decarbonization targets.</p>

Lower interface risk

<p>Choosing a pre-engineered package helps eliminate the technical gaps typically found between separate suppliers and simplifies the engineering workload for system integrators.</p>

Compact installation footprint

<p>The compact, lightweight construction reduces footprint by approximately 20% compared to conventional products, maximizing available engine room space.</p>

Optimized product packages

The package is designed for smooth integration across a range of vessel types, including containerships, tankers, gas carriers, and dry cargo vessels. Explore the available options below to find the right package configuration tailored to your fleet’s operating profile, installation conditions, and project requirements.

Generator frame size Current¹ max. [A] Drive frame size Power² [kW] Typical vessel types
1120A_20 MNM <1660 ACS 880-LC
3 x R8i + 2 x R8i		 1500 Dry cargo vessels
Tankers
  <2470 ACS 880-LC
4 x R8i + 3 x R8i		 2050 Gas carriers
1400A_20 MNM <3260 ACS 880-LC
5 x R8i + 4 x R8i		 2350 Gas carriers
  <4050 ACS 880-LC
6 x R8i + 5 x R8i		 3050 Container vessels
2000A_36 MNM <4840 ACS 880-LC
8 x R8i + 6 x R8i		 4000 Large container vessels
  <5650 ACS 880-LC
8 x R8i + 7 x R8		 4000 Large container vessels

1. Shaft generator current depends on the vessels specific operation point (speed, torque, power).

2. Converter nominal power depends on grid voltage and SCC level, in table is 690V / 180% SCC current option.

Flexible operating modes for every scenario

The package supports variable-speed generation independent of shaft speed and operates in multiple modes to adapt to operational requirements.

Power Take Off (PTO)

<p>Efficiently generates electricity for the ship’s grid.</p>

Power Take In (PTI)

<p>Allows the generator to function as a motor to boost power.</p>

Power Take Home (PTH)

<p>Provides an emergency propulsion mode to return the vessel safely to port should the main engine fail.</p>

Shore Power

<p>The drive can be engineered as a Shore Power converter, enabling the vessel to connect to the shore grid instead of using gensets to eliminate local emissions and noise.</p>

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Brochure

PM shaft generator and ACS880 drive package

White paper

Towards an energy-efficient future for shipping

Related offering

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ABB’s benchmark of performance, expertise and quality designed to tackle any of your motor-driven applications, in any industries, whatever the power range.

Permanent magnet motors

Experience superior performance with ABB’s high-power permanent magnet motors.

Highlights and news

Permanent Magnet Shaft Generators: Enabling More Efficient, Cost-Effective and Sustainable Vessels

Greater energy efficiency is essential to the future of shipping. With the total volume of goods transported by sea expected to triple by 2030, the status quo cannot continue.

Permanent Magnet Shaft Generators Improve Vessel Energy Efficiency

ABB's flexible Permanent Magnet Shaft Generators offer superior energy efficiency that enables shipowners and shipyards to future-proof their vessels.

New shaft generator technology boosts marine energy efficiency

The latest in-line shaft generator from ABB will enable ship operators to benefit from the efficiency, performance and reliability advantages of permanent magnet technology.

Largest ever permanent magnet shaft generator system order for 30 LNG carriers

ABB has secured orders from shipbuilders in China and South Korea to equip 18 and 12 liquified natural gas (LNG) carriers respectively with permanent magnet shaft generator technology. The ships are due for delivery between 2028 and 2030.

Global service and digital connectivity

This coordinated package is backed by ABB's global marine service network. Over 50 dedicated service workshops, 1,200+ certified field service engineers, and 600 service partners deliver the preventive servicing and spare part availability required to secure uptime, lower the total cost of ownership, and meet long-teradm sustainability goals.
 

Digital connectivity for predictive maintenance reduces lifecycle costs by up to 20% while protecting the long-term value of the asset. Digitalizing the powertrain ensures complete lifecycle support through advanced condition-based servicing.