Drive Solution News

Erik Thun Group selected Berg Propulsion’s Dynamic Drive technology to optimize efficiency on board all 10 of its latest newbuildings. The Swedish owner confirmed its decision after pilot installations exceeded energy efficiency gain expectations, with the integrated drive solution helping to save 10% of fuel, rising to 20% in some operational conditions.As part of Erik Thun’s rolling fleet renewal strategy, the owner recently expanded its newbuild program with Dutch yard Shipsveerf Ferus Smit B.V to include four 5…

PSA Marine Peru, a wholly owned subsidiary of PSA Marine (Pte) Ltd,. contracted Cheoy Lee Shipyards in Hong Kong for equipping one newly built tug with Schottel RudderPropellers featuring the patented SYDRIVE-M technology. SYDRIVE-M is designed to ensure lower maintenance costs and less fuel consumption, enabling PSA Marine Peru to offer emission-reduced towing services in Peruvian ports. The RAmparts 2400W design vessel is scheduled to enter service in 2023.“In PSA Marine Peru…

New Zealand companies HamiltonJet and EV Maritime have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to build advanced composite, battery-powered commuter ferries.Their cooperation was formalized at HamiltonJet’s Christchurch headquarters in May, in the presence of Hon Dr Megan Woods, New Zealand’s Minister of Energy & Resources and Minister of Research Science & Innovation.With the aim of decarbonizing the harbor cities of the world, the firms are seeking to develop one of the world’s first truly high-speed…

In November 2019, electric mobility solutions provider eCap began a partnership with fuel cell technologies company Re-Fire Technology for the joint development of cross-sector fuel cell projects.The first milestone of this partnership was reached in May 2020 by achieving the “Approval in Principle“ through the international classification society DNV GL for a concept of maritime Re-Fire fuel cell application. The Hydrogen Electric System (H2ES) developed by eCap combines the…

American Commercial Barge Line’s leadership and early adoption of ZF Marine’s z-drive propulsion technology underscores a growing trend on the inland waterways. American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has been around a long time – since 1915, to be exact – and along the way has developed into one of the dominant players in the inland marine transportation industry. With a passion for safety and a green footprint, ACBL has always embraced technology and innovation. That point was obvious when it made the decision to outfit at least 15 of its towboats with ZF Marine’s Z-drive systems. The Z-Drive installations are but a small part of a $500 million fleet and equipment investment that ACBL has undertaken over the course of the last five years.

Hybrid drive and potential fuel savings are well known — from 10 to 30 percent, according to the sources we’ve written about over the years. Less known, is the potential need to purchase some sort of remote monitoring package to complement that diesel-electric or battery hybrid system from a system operator in order to secure the maximum safety benefits. As the count of system operators offering hybrid drives grows, so too, it seems, there’s continuous need to look at who they are and what they’re offering.

Propulsion evolves, improves and powers forward in the inland markets. And, Z-Drive propulsion is the future. In a white paper released late in 2014 by The Shearer Group, Ed Shearer and Greg Beers outlined The Next Generation of inland vessels, what will drive design changes and the advantages of azimuthing stern drives – or ‘Z-Drives,’ for short. The authors point out that, until recently, towboats on all the inland waterways and Gulf Coast have traditionally been built using main engines connected to reduction gearboxes connected to long drive shafts passing through the towboat hull. In a nutshell, according The Shearer Group, the advantages of using z-Drives on inland towboats include decreased installation time…

Tuco Marine has launched two new search and rescue (SAR) vessel designs approaching next week’s Europort in Rotterdam. The boats have been developed upon international requests and designed by a team of engineers in collaboration with naval experts. The SAR boats are covered, high speed crafts featuring different beams. One is optimized for a double outboard drive solution, based on the ProZero hull with a beam of 2.84 meters, making it an extremely effective hull with great maneuverability, according to Tuco.

At the SMM 2014 in Hamburg, Vulkan Couplings presented two new products: the TDS Plafrix, a shifting clutch and flexible coupling combination, tailored to the use of harbor tugs in particular, and The Vulkardan GBF, a coupling for generator applications featuring a solution for the so-called “blind fitting” applications. The TDS Plafrix clutch is specially designed for use in harbor tugs. To develop and market the new TDS Plafrix clutch, Vulkan Couplings and DESCH Antriebstechnik, Arnsberg, entered into close cooperation. DESCH Antriebstechnik GmbH & Co.

The offshore market remains buoyant, with exploration and production driving new fleet investment, design innovation in vessel efficiency and reduced environmental impact. Operations in more challenging offshore environments are also demanding enhanced vessel maneuverability, station-keeping and overall safety, in line with tightening regulations. The sector’s opportunities and its cutting edge technology will be on show at Europort 2013, the maritime exhibition taking place at Ahoy Rotterdam November 5-8, 2013, said Raymond Silliakus, Europort Exhibition Manager.

MacGregor can now offer anchor-handling towing winches (AHTW) with pulling powers of between 300 tonnes and 600 tonnes and will be able to supply them in both hydraulically and electrically-driven versions. MacGregor is part of Cargotec Corporation, the world's leading provider of cargo handling solutions used in local transportation, terminals, ports, distribution centres and ships. Although traditionally supplied as hydraulically-operated, the new range of AHTWs will also be available as electrically-driven units.

Dynamic Positioning and maneuvering solution to Pieter Schelte - Allseas' platform installation/decommissioning and pipelay vessel that will be delivered in 2011. After the successful launch of Audacia in November 2007, Allseas is now fully committed to its next construction vessel - Pieter Schelte - which will take the pipe laying specialist into new territory by providing heavy lift and platform removal capability. With the Dutch company Imtech Marine & Offshore as contractor for the power and drive solution…