Girbau has designed, manufactured and installed, in collaboration with ALMACO, an industrial laundry solution on the MSC World Europa cruise ship, manufactured at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France. This has been a major milestone for the company, as it has managed to install a complete laundry solution in such a complex environment, considering all the challenges and other factors involved on a cruise ship.

After four years of work, involvement, and effort from many workers of the company, the MSC World Europa is now sailing with the Girbau laundry on board.

Integral and complete solution

The design of this cruise ship was driven by the common aim of powering the highest standards of sustainability. Moreover, the ship is MSC’s first fully gas-powered vessel and leads the way for the sector. With this, Girbau also reaffirms its strong commitment to promote the sustainability of professional laundry. The project development was challenging: MSC World Europa is a 333-metre-long ship, weighing more than 200,000 tons, with capacity for almost 7,000 passengers and 2,000 crew and Girbau managed to successfully complete the project. The aim was to offer a tailor-made solution, seeking the highest possible degree of automation in the process and adapting the machinery to the dimensions and geometry of the ship.

The laundry consists of two floors located on the second and third decks of the ship. On the upper floor, Girbau installed two complete batch washing systems made up of two 12-module TBS- 50 tunnels, two presses SPR-50, 10 dryers ST-1302, and a set of unloading conveyor belts that send the clothes to the lower floor, with a capacity to process 2,500 kilograms of clothes per hour.

To complete the solution, three HS washing machines were installed with capacities of 24, 57 and 110 kg and 3 ED1250 dryers to process guests’ clothes, which are usually high-quality garments.

Once the clothes automatically fall onto the lower deck, they go through two complete ironing systems with 2 DRF automatic feeders, two PC120 flatwork ironers, and two FR+ folders. The laundry also includes 2 FT Topfold towel folders

Development and installation

All the machines were pre-tested by Girbau technicians to balance the waves’ effect and guarantee good performance in all working conditions.

Regarding the installation process, it was the most complex aspect, facing challenges such as reduced spaces and intense working conditions that pushed the professionals of Girbau into cuttingedge problem-solving.

Girbau has once more shown its total capacity for adaptation and maximum flexibility to meet the demands of a totally changing industrial market while also fulfilling clients’ expectations and needs.

“With the development of this laundry, Cirbau has demonstrated total capacity of adaptation and utmost flexibility to meet the demands of a totally changing industrial market,” says Ferran Cirera, Girbau industrial segment manager ­