Marine Propulsion Technology News

Much has changed since Marine News’ 2022 shipbuilding report published in March last year, and business opportunities in certain market segments continue to grow. But the shipyards that are looking to cash in are still facing many of the same challenges.For example, many American shipyards and their partners throughout the shipbuilding supply chain are still finding it difficult to attract and retain the workers they need. If you’re a skilled craftsperson looking for a job in shipbuilding, you’re in luck, because there are plenty of openings at shipyards across the country.

With travel and tourism nearing pre-2020 levels, and transit systems benefiting from a return to work, passenger vessels have seen renewed activity. In its year-end review, John Groundwater, Executive Director of the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA), which advocates for the sector in Washington, D.C. wrote: “As we are nearing the end of the calendar year, we are delighted to report that our industry, and our members, are reporting far and wide that they have experienced very…

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) has been awarded a $14.9 million grant from the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) to develop a high-frequency network of battery-electric ferries.The grant will fund the construction of ferries and shoreside charging infrastructure to support the San Francisco Clean Ferry Network, which will use zero-emission ferries to connect waterfront San Francisco neighborhoods including Downtown, Treasure Island and Mission Bay.This grant…

The ZF 8000 model range is a new marine transmission family for outputs up to a maximum of 3,000 kW. The ZF 8000 range is available in multiple transmission ratios, housing sizes and variants giving manufacturers a high degree of flexibility for new build projects and retrofits.To this end the ZF 8000 covers a wide-ranging field of applications, from coast guard vessels and yachts to ferries, supply ships and small tankers. An additional power take-in makes it possible to integrate an electric motor for hybrid functions.

From 2019, Rolls-Royce Power Systems and the City of Constance public utility are to begin testing the marine propulsion technology of the future on Lake Constance. This takes the form of a gas engine carrying the MTU brand. The public utility's new car ferry is to be equipped with twin eight-cylinder Series 4000 gas engines from MTU, each delivering 746 kW. This makes it the first inland waterway passenger vessel in Europe to be propelled by straightforward high-speed gas engines. The fuel will be liquefied natural gas.

Leveraging its technical strengths in both engine design and electrical and automation (E&A) systems, Wärtsilä is launching a fully integrated hybrid power module combining engines, an energy storage system and power electronics optimized to work together through a newly developed energy management system (EMS). The Wärtsilä HY is the marine sector's first hybrid power module of this type, officially launched at the Nor-Shipping conference and exhibition in Oslo, Norway from May 30 to June 2, 2017.

ZF Marine supplies propulsion system components for yachts, defense craft, high-speed ferries, workboats and commercial vessels, in a power range from 10 to 14,000 kW. The product portfolio includes a comprehensive range of transmissions (reversing, non-reversing and hybrid), propellers POD-drive systems, steering systems and CANbus-compatible, electronic control systems, azimuth thrusters, tunnel thrusters, bow thrusters and sail drives. ZF Marine is a global leader in marine propulsion technology.

Crew transfer vessel operators using the new Voith Linear Jet (VLJ) marine propulsion system can save over £75,000 in fuel costs in a season, the manufacturer claims. The cost saving, around 20 percent, is a key figure from the collection of extensive data from four months’ operation in a range of sea conditions, working at different speeds and with different loadings. The Voith Linear Jet, unveiled last year as a “world first” in marine propulsion technology, combines elements of two existing technologies: conventional screw propellers and water jets.

he first ever UK domestic dual-fuelled new build vessels will feature fully integrated Wärtsilä propulsion machinery packages. Wärtsilä will also supply extended engineering and site support services. The two ships, both 102 metre long ro-ro passenger ferries, are being built for Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) based in Port Glasgow, Scotland. The contracts with Wärtsilä were recorded in December 2015. Besides being the first dual-fuel vessels for CMAL, they are also the first ever dual-fuel ships to be built in the UK. These will be built by Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd. The yard is located on the River Clyde in Glasgow. "This project highlights the fact that high-end, technologically advanced commercial shipbuilding is again present in Scotland.

The first Wärtsilä low-speed two-stroke dual-fuel (DF) engine destined for a commercial application has reportedly completed its Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) at a Chinese licensee of Winterthur Gas & Diesel (WinGD), the Switzerland-based designer, developer and licensor of Wärtsilä brand low-speed two-stroke engines. The engine is a five cylinder, 50 cm bore 5RT-flex50DF built by Yuchai Marine Power Co., Ltd. (YCMP) at its factory in Doumen, Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, in the South of the People’s Republic of China.

15351 SW 29th St. ZF Marine supplies propulsion system components for yachts, defense craft, high-speed ferries, workboats and commercial vessels, in a power range from 10 to 14,000 kW. The product portfolio includes a comprehensive range of transmissions (reversing, non-reversing and hybrid), propellers POD-drive systems, steering systems and CANbus-compatible, electronic control systems, azimuth thrusters, tunnel thrusters, bow thrusters and sail drives. ZF Marine is a global…

ZF Marine Group, provider of marine propulsion technology, has added bow thrusters to its pleasure craft product range. The innovative design incorporates counter-rotating propellers in a patented tunnel design which increases efficiency while reducing noise. In addition, the bow thrusters can operate for long periods with heavy duty cycles. The new range of bow thrusters is principally intended for all types of pleasure craft, especially vessels requiring high maneuverability for extended operating periods.

Since Royal Caribbean decided to embrace the advanced marine propulsion technology inherent with gas turbines, power plants aboard cruise ships built and delivered in the new millennium could be much different. Even if all newbuilds do not incorporate gas turbine power, other propulsion suppliers such as diesel manufacturers will be driven by this new competitor in a previously diesel dominated domain — along by new and increasingly stringent environmental emission requirements — to continuously improve their designs in order to meet future needs. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity selected a COmbined Gas turbine and Steam turbine Electric drive System (COGES) for their new ships.