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Jet Systems News

14 Mar 2018

Offshore Wind Drives Demand for US Support Vessels

(Photo: Volvo Penta)

The offshore energy boom: more than wind. Domestic offshore wind also promises to generate demand for new, efficiently propelled support vessels. The U.S. offshore wind farm industry, now in its infancy, is on the verge of a massive growth surge, and the boom will be felt throughout the American maritime industry. The U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy reported last year that there is a “robust pipeline of projects to ensure growth in the country’s nascent offshore wind market…

29 Nov 2017

Volvo Penta Stakes Position in Wind Farm Support Vessels

Photo: Volvo Penta

Volvo Penta has emerged as a leading supplier of propulsion systems for support boats in the booming offshore wind farm industry in Europe, and is poised to capture a significant position as new wind farms come into service in North America. “Wind farm support vessels operate under some of the world’s most difficult conditions,” said Jens Bering, vice president of marine sales for Volvo Penta of the Americas. “They must be able to work 24/7 in high winds and heavy seas delivering crew and materials quickly and safely to the offshore towers without wasting time and fuel.

24 Mar 2014

NAMJet Wins Huge US Army Bridge Boat Propulsion Contract

BEB photo courtesy of NAMJet

Marine waterjet manufacturer NAMJet says it has been contracted to provide propulsion systems for Birdon America's US Army Bridge Erection Boat (BEB) 400-boat replacement platform. At the same time NAMJet announces its manufacturing and operational HQ has moved to Denver, Colorado. Bridge Erection Boats are primarily used to provide propulsion and maneuverable thrust to support temporary floating bridges often made necessary when existing bridge crossings have been destroyed in military conflict.

07 Mar 2013

Direct Comparison of Waterjets

Two recent refits of waterjets are unique in one respect that they allow a direct comparison between waterjet brands, while everything else remains unchanged. Waterjets from Marine Jet Power were recently used to solve some significant propulsion issues and in one case the exchange even helped a yard to achieve its project goals leading to the fact that the yard finally was able to deliver the ships to the owners. In the first case, the operator of a 10-year-old vessel decided to change to MJP DRB jets due to significant service and corrosion issues on the existing waterjets.

06 Mar 2009

Advanced Marine Propulsion with a New Twist

OCOR Corporation in San Diego, California has recently patented a submerged waterjet marine propulsion system that utilizes a helical lobe pump to displace water through a jet system. The ‘new twist’ refers to the helical geometry of the pump lobes on each of the counter-rotating rotors. Called OCOR Marine Propulsion (OMP), the new system has the potential to dramatically reduce the fuel consumption of virtually any size vessel and do so without cavitation. The net result is a…

06 Mar 2009

Avoid Poorly Implemented Training Programs

Lawrence R. DeMarcay

All vessel owners and operators will agree that employee training and education is of prime importance when it comes to running a safe operation. A considerable amount of time, effort, expense and other resources are usually allotted to such programs. Although some programs are implemented with very little fanfare, other programs are often rolled out with a great amount of attention and the highest of expectations. Unfortunately, many of these programs, after the initial enthusiasm has worn off, are often shifted to the back burner and rarely used.

08 Nov 2000

ZF Fortifies Product Line, Business Plan

Consolidation of manufacturing and service entities is perhaps the world's worst kept secret. Marine propulsion manufacturers, in particular, have been rapidly consolidating companies, lines and capabilities in order to broaden their organizations to be truly global, while filling any holes in the power range along the way. ZF, a renowned maker of marine transmissions, has done this and more in becoming a single source propulsion supplier. The expansion of the product line includes a complete propulsion systems was part of ZF Marine's strategic plan established in January 1999. It has now become a reality, with the founding of the Propulsion Systems division, based at ZF Padova.

09 Sep 2002

Optimal Electric Ship Propulsion Solution

Throughout the history of shipbuilding, the key challenge too often has been how to build the right ship around a given propulsion system, rather than creating tailored propulsion system for the ship. That was true when the best propulsion "engines" available were sails, and it is also true for today's diesel, gas turbine and electric hybrid systems as well. The ideal, of course, is to allocate cargo space, cabin space, the shape of propulsion units, and even the shape of the ship's itineraries around the needs of the marketplace rather than around the limitations imposed by the ship's propulsion system. Factors that remain in the path of that ideal include the underlying efficiency across a broad operational range with which chemical energy is turned into mechanical energy…