Electric Propulsion Technology News

The international shipping industry as a whole is responsible for 2% to 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and if nothing changes, those will increase by 250% by 2050, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Sobering numbers like these have made reducing emissions across the sector a focus for governments, shipbuilders, environmentalists, vessel owners and technology suppliers alike.The United States federal ship fleet, excluding combat ships, consists of various types of vessels utilized for civilian purposes. This fleet of vessels makes the U.S.

GE Power Conversion was chosen by shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique to supply electric propulsion for the first two of the World Class vessels, MSC Cruises’ latest class of ships. The first ship, MSC World Europa, is now in operation at sea, and the second vessel is currently in build.The LNG dual-fuel vessels are propelled by the most powerful cruise ship electrical motors in operation - two 25 MW, 120-127.5 rpm induction motors - which are fed by four press-pack IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) PWM MV7000 converters.

Emissions reductions have been confirmed for the first laker to feature a diesel-electric drive train, after the initial weeks in service of Canada Steamship Lines’ new self-unloader Nukumi. The vessel arrived in Halifax in time to take up duties for the 2022 Great Lakes season complete with patented Direct Drive Electric technology from Berg Propulsion.Built by China’s Chengxi Shipyard, the delivery also marks a bulk carrier market debut for Direct Drive Electric - an integrated solution developed by Berg to make high efficiency electric propulsion easier to adopt.The 26…

BAE Systems launched its next-generation power and propulsion system for the marine market: the HybriGen Power and Propulsion system. According to the company, the system uses smaller and lighter components with modular accessory power system (MAPS) and modular power control system (MPCS) that allow for a scalable, tailor-made solution to fit the specific power and propulsion requirements of a range of vessels, from sailboats and tugs to passenger ferries.“Using a modular design…

ABB said it has secured a contract with Haemin Heavy Industries shipyard to provide a complete power and propulsion solution for Busan Port Authority’s first all-electric passenger ferry.Due for delivery in 2022, the new ferry represents the first commitment by South Korean authorities to a plan which will see 140 state-owned conventionally powered vessels replaced with those operating on cleaner alternatives by 2030, in line with South Korea’s plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.As the first system integrator chosen to support this initiative…

Joe Hudspeth is the Director of Business Development for Global Marine at BAE Systems in Endicott, N.Y. BAE Systems offers complete, efficient propulsion and auxiliary power systems utilizing electric technology. Hudspeth has been involved with maritime sales, marketing and product development since 2000. He currently serves as a regional co-chairman for the Passenger Vessel Association, is a judge for the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association student design competition, and frequently speaks and writes on maritime and ferry related issues. Hudspeth lives in Bellingham, Wash.

Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) has ordered energy management and electric propulsion package from GE’s Power Conversion for the new Combat Support Ship (CSS) being built for the Royal Netherlands Navy.The CSS ordered by the Dutch government in December 2019 will be 180 meters in length, will accommodate a 75-persons basic crew, with capacity for an additional 85 persons on-board. GE’s will deliver main switchboards for the ship distribution system, with two shore connection cubicles…

The future is painted bright for companies dealing in hybrid and electric marine propulsion, as vessel owners and operators pursue cleaner technologies to comply with ever-stricter environmental regulations while also seeking ways to improve their bottom line.Case in point is Germany-based electric drives manufacturer Torqeedo, which has to date delivered more than 100,000 electric propulsion products for a wide range of recreational and commercial customers.The hybrid/electric market is one that’s ripe for growth, says Dr. Ralf Plieninger, COO and CTO, Torqeedo.

GE’s Marine Solutions has once again been selected by MSC Cruises and Fincantieri to provide the marine electric propulsion technology for two new Seaside EVO ships, further driving the evolution of the Seaside Class next-generation mega cruise ships.This follows the delivery of the first and second ship – MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview – in the Seaside Class by the Fincantieri shipyard of Monfalcone.With a gross tonnage of 169,400 GT and a total guest capacity of 5,632, Seaside EVO ships will be the largest cruise ships ever built by the Fincantieri shipyard. The two ships will adopt a range of innovative design features and maritime technologies…

Sovcomflot’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Christophe de Margerie made the world’s first-ever crossing of the Northern Sea in late August without the aid of an ice-breaker. The record-setting vessel is powered by ABB’s advanced Azipod electric propulsion technology. The 172,600 cubic meters Arctic LNG tanker, which features a lightweight steel reinforced hull, is the largest commercial ship to receive Arc7 certification, and is capable of travelling through ice up to 2.1m thick.

Washington’s Skagit County has selected Seattle based naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy Glosten to design a new all-electric vehicle/passenger ferry. The new ferry will replace M/V Guemes, which has provided service between Anacortes and Guemes Island, Wash. since 1979, and is now nearing the end of its economic useful life. With a capacity of 99 passengers and 21 vehicles, the vessel forms a primary mode of transit for residents of and visitors to Guemes Island. “This ferry is a critical transportation link in our community,” said Captain Rachel Rowe, Ferry Operations Division Manager. Skagit County has a vision of replacing the aging Guemes with an all-electric vessel.

Corvus Energy, a supplier of Type-Approved energy storage systems (ESS) for the commercial maritime industry is proud to announce the opening of Corvus Norway AS. Corvus Norway AS is at the forefront of a new trend in the marine industry, the adaptation of hybrid-electric propulsion technology. Hybridized vessels provide ship owners with a rapid return on investment with immediate savings in fuel and maintenance costs and significantly reduced emissions. These benefits, along with new dynamic positioning Class rules that allow large-scale battery systems as functional equivalents to generator sets, will strongly encourage new and existing vessels to implement a hybrid solution. Corvus Norway AS will be led by Halvard Hauso, Executive Vice-President Sales and Marketing.

GE unveiled today its new GE Marine organization which cumulates several GE businesses and will be led by Tim Schweikert, vice president, GE Marine. The new organization brings together GE’s commercial and technological expertise in the marine sector from gas turbines and diesel engines to motors and generators, variable speed drives and drilling systems to automation and control systems and all the electrical equipment in between. GE Marine combines this with system integration capabilities and a global infrastructure—including training and service facilities.

GE’s Power Conversion business has received a new order from Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. for electric power and propulsion systems for two LNG carriers. The LNG carriers will be built for the purpose of transporting LNG from Louisiana, U.S.A. Their construction is scheduled to be completed from 2017 through 2018. According to GE, from the perspective of improved performance, electric propulsion technology is optimal for LNG carriers. GE said its induction-based propulsion motor technology and high output power pulse width modulation (PWM) technology improve reliability and help lower maintenance costs for vessels. “GE has demonstrated a low risk solution to KHI…

GE’s Power Conversion business (NYSE: GE) has announced that it is working with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. (DSME) in South Korea to provide an electrical power and propulsion system for a Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization (NDLO) logistics and support vessel (LSV). GE’s equipment will be installed as a key part of the ship’s hybrid propulsion system, improving fuel efficiency and operating flexibility. In October 2012, GE’s Power Conversion business announced a similar project for the U.K.

Rolls-Royce wins a £12 million order to design and equip two platform supply vessels (PSVs) to be built at Jiangsu Eastern Heavy Industries in China. Rolls-Royce UT 755 LN vessels are designed specifically for transporting solid and liquid cargo to and from offshore oil and gas platforms world wide. In addition to the design, Rolls-Royce will supply an extensive range of onboard equipment, including main engines, propulsion system, thrusters, automation and control systems, deck machinery, bulk handling systems, rudders, steering gears and shaft generators.

Rolls-Royce announced an order from Singapore-based offshore company, PaxOcean, to provide the ship design, propulsion systems and deck machinery for two platform supply vessels. The order is worth over $19.1m to Rolls-Royce with additional options to construct a further four vessels of the same type. The UT 755 CD is a development of the popular UT 755 series. The vessels will be built at PaxOcean Engineering’s offshore vessel shipyard in Zhuhai, China, with delivery due in 2012. Since the first UT 755 was delivered in 1996, more than 170 vessels of this design have gone into service or are on order worldwide. The latest models feature increasingly efficient hull designs and diesel electric propulsion technology…

Corvus Energy, harnessing the power of large format lithium-ion battery systems for marine propulsion, will spotlight its proprietary technology at the International Tug & Salvage (ITS 2010) Conference May 17-21 at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver, B.C. The conference marks the world debut of the BRAtt class training tugs, the first of which will feature Richmond, B.C.-based Corvus Energy’s battery and management system utilized as the house power bank. This direct diesel-powered version, will be available for demonstration to ITS registrants.

Alstom will be the first company in the world to install electric propulsion technology on a Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) carrier, which is being built at ALSTOM's Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in France for the French utility Gaz de France. The use of this technology on an LNG ship follows the company's successes in electric propulsion for cruise ships, chemical tankers and other types of merchant and naval vessels. The LNG ship, with a capacity of 74,000 cubic metres, will be delivered to Gaz de France by the end of 2004. It will be propelled through a variable frequency main propulsion system, via a gearbox. The electric drive principally consists of two 9,550 kW, 1,200 rpm synchronous motors, supplied by two synchroconverters associated with a propulsion control and monitoring system.