Cruise ships rely on Geislinger couplings and dampers

The cruise tourism is the fastest growing segment of leisure tourism. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (2010), since 1990 cruise tourism has increased annually by 7.2%, doubling every decade. Since emerging in the late 1960s, the modern cruise industry has developed into a mass market with even larger and faster ships. In 2015 a record of 23 million passengers is expected to be achieved in cruise line tourism.

A grand dame among the cruise ships is the Berlin which explores countries along the western and eastern Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic or the Red Sea. During the festive days around Christmas the Berlin departs on the 12^th of December from Venice and arrives on the 20^th of December in Safaga/Egypt. Some highlights on this route through the Mediterranean and Red Sea are the Suez Canal and the Canal of Corinth, as well as a view of historical Athens from Port Piraeus.

The cruise ship MS Berlin is equipped with a Geislinger Coupling BC 72/12.5/13/2. With a length of 139 meters and a width of 17.5 meters, the M/V Berlin is known as a traditional cruise ship with a maximum of 412 passengers. Since the Berlin was put into operation in 1979, it relies on the Geislinger coupling. In 2013 a Geislinger service engineer inspected the Geislinger coupling. With more than 155.000 hours in operation, (which means 18 years of permanent operation), the Geislinger coupling was still in its best condition. The Berlin runs with two twelve-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engines with a speed of 18 knots and an output of 3530 kW. The engines are coupled to the shafting with two pitch propellers.

Many other cruise vessels rely on Geislinger technology as the reliability and longevity of cruise ships has become a more and more important issue for cruises.