Noordam docked at Grand Turk Island, March 2007
History
Name	MS Noordam
Namesake	The northern compass point
Operator	Holland America Line
Port of registry	Netherlands
Builder	Fincantieri
Yard number	Marghera 6079
Launched	1 April 2005
Christened	February 2006
In service	2006–present
Identification	Call sign PHET IMO number: 9230115 MMSI number: 246028000
Status	in service
Notes	[1]
General characteristics
Class and type	Vista class cruise ship
Tonnage	82,500 gross tonnage (GT)
Length	936 ft (285.3 m)
Beam	105.8 ft (32.2 m)
Decks	11 passenger decks
Propulsion	Diesel-electric; two ABB Azipod units
Speed	maximum 23-knot (43 km/h), service 20-knot (37 km/h)
Capacity	1,916 passengers
Crew	800 crew
Notes	[1][2]

MS Noordam is a member of Holland America Line's Vista class, and the fourth Holland America Line vessel to bear the name. The ship was christened on February 22, 2006, in New York City by the actress Marlee Matlin.^[2] Noordam is a sister ship of MS Oosterdam, MS Westerdam, and MS Zuiderdam, alongside five other Vista-class ships. The prefixes of the four Holland America ships' names represent the four directions of the compass in Dutch.

Design

The ship is powered by a CODAG arrangement of five diesel generators (3 x 16,000 HP units, and 2 x 12,000 HP units) and one gas turbine (18,000 HP), for a total power output of approximately 62.6MW (84,000 HP). The power generated is used both for propulsion, via two 17.5MW (23,467 HP) ABB Azipods, and the ship's "hotel load," which includes HVAC and freshwater production. She is capable of producing 1,700 tons (450,000 gallons) of fresh water daily via desalinization, although average consumption is only around 750 tons/day (200,000 gallons). The ship consumes approximately 216 tons/day (57,000 U.S. gallons) of heavy fuel oil, and 90 tons/day (23,000 U.S. gallons) of marine gas oil, at peak power production. She can achieve a maximum speed of approximately 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph).