GE Partners for Royal Navy Business

GE announce its partnership with VolkerStevin Ltd. to provide technical solutions to the Defense Infrastructure Organization (DIO) for the Royal Navy. Through this partnership, GE is set to design, manufacture and commission a Rotary Frequency Converter (RFC) which enables efficient, safe and reliable power transfer from the national grid to HMS Queen Elizabeth, the first of the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers, based at Portsmouth Naval Base, UK.

The electricity from the U.K. national grid, which operates at a frequency of 50Hz, will be converted by the RFC into 60Hz for use by the equipment on-board the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier. This allows for the ship’s diesel generators to be switched off while at berth in Portsmouth Naval Base, reducing noise, pollution and costs. GE Marine’s RFC solution consists of a motor, generator, a static excitation system, a synchronous frequency convertor and associated equipment.

“GE’s cost competitiveness, technical compliance and deep presence and experience in the naval industry convinced us that we are in a safe pair of hands," said Gerrit Smit, Project Manager, VolkerStevin. "We are happy to be partnering with GE and look forward to ways in which their know-how can complement our ambitions.”

GE Marine’s RFC solution is designed to have an operational life of 30 years and has an existing Type 45 Destroyer service team based at the Portsmouth naval base. GE is also contracted to carry out testing, commissioning and training on its equipment, as part of the contract.