Diesel Electric Technology News

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.

Long a staple for offshore service providers, a more compact and carefully designed version of the diesel electric option is now available for inland pushboats. For budget conscious operators (and who isn’t, in this environment?), the stars may finally be aligned.For many years, electric propulsion has proven to be a viable propulsion solution for many different types of vessels. Most familiar to workboat stakeholders would be the advent of the ‘diesel electric’ offshore serve providers (OSV) that became commonplace during the offshore boom era. Those vessels operated in a different regulatory environment, with the emphasis more leaning towards operational efficiencies and fuel economy.

Diesel electric technology, as part of a comprehensive engineering design process, should be considered by the inland towboat sector. Diesel electric propulsion is not a new concept. Like azimuthing drives, its application to the inland marine market has lagged behind other areas of the marine industry. Diesel electric has gained traction in industries where fuel economy and redundancy of propulsion systems for safety is paramount. In particular, vessels like passenger ferries and offshore supply vessels have enjoyed the benefits of the diesel electric systems.

Eastern Shipbuilding’s forward-thinking inland towboat design now features CAT Tier 4 propulsion and aftertreatment. When Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) introduced its cutting edge 4,000 hp Thunderbolt inland towboat designed around twin azimuthing AAA Propulsion electric V-Pod propulsion and diesel-electric technology back in 2015, the approach was collaborative, with input from operators, naval architects (Gilbert Associates, Inc. (GAI)) and propulsion OEM’s. In selecting the podded propulsion system for inclusion on the design, Eastern met with two inland owner/operators that had Z-Drive towboats, and others that didn’t. Starting as far back as 2013, listening to each and noting their concerns, it was decided that the V-Pod was the best solution.

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…

Eastern Shipbuilding offers the 4,200 hp Thunderbolt inland towboat designed around twin azimuthing Verhaar Omega electric V-Pod propulsion and diesel-electric technology. The ESG approach was collaborative, with input from operators, naval architects (Gilbert Associates, Inc. (GAI)) and propulsion OEM’s (Verhaar Omega: since 2012, 19 Omega V-pods have been installed and are in service in Europe on various types of vessels). Thunderbolt will be built to ABS rules, but will not be classed.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. introduced its new 120-ft., 4,200-hp Inland Towboat design, Thunderbolt, combining twin electric V-Pod propulsion and diesel-electric technology for what the builder calls its “vision of the future for the U.S. Eastern said the idea for the Thunderbolt came from a conversation at a trade show. On the rivers, thruster propulsion systems are starting to get noticed and are outperforming conventional nozzle propeller propulsion systems with main/flanking rudder steering. Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. and Verhaar Omega, B.V.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. introduced its new 120-foot, 4,200-horsepower Inland Towboat design, THUNDERBOLT, combining twin electric V-Pod propulsion and diesel-electric technology for what the builder calls its “vision of the future for the U.S. Eastern said the idea for the THUNDERBOLT came from across the aisle conversations at the 2013 International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans. On the rivers, thruster propulsion systems are starting to get noticed and are outperforming conventional nozzle propeller propulsion systems with main/flanking rudder steering. Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. and Verhaar Omega, B.V. began discussions and realized they were driving towards a more refined towboat thruster propulsion system design.

Induction-based electric propulsion motor technology from GE’s Power Conversion business will be used to power four new LNG carriers that Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries will build for Maran Gas Maritime, the gas shipping unit of the Angelicoussis Shipping Group. Contracts for the propulsion systems were signed in late May. Hyundai Heavy Industries will deliver the vessels over a 15-month period beginning in July 2015. In late April of this year, sea trials were completed…

The application of diesel electric technology gives a remarkable flexibility to vessels in the larger offshore market. In November Singapores ASL Shipyard completed work on the 295-ft by 72-ft diving support vessel Mermaid Asiana. Destined for service in Mermaids extensive Thai fleet, the DP2 classed vessel has redundancies well beyond the basics. With three Kawasaki bow thrusters the vessel could maintain DP2 status even if one thruster was down. This is but one example of the importance placed on maintaining position…

Designers Ken Freivokh, responsible for the Maltese Falcon; and Pat Bray, responsible for a fuel efficient, semi-displacement hull form, presented their latest project, an environmentally sound 137-ft motor yacht design. Through the use of hybrid diesel/electric technology this vessel can operate for up to five hours on battery power alone, quietly slipping through the water at six knots. A 4,000 mile range at 14 knots is achieved with this low wake, low carbon footprint hull form.

Tidewater began with the 1955 launch of the Ebb Tide, the first purpose-built boats to serve the Gulf of Mexico offshore oil industry. With over 400 vessels currently serving the oil industry worldwide the company is now the largest offshore support vessel operator in the world. The fleet has been built by acquiring competitors but also by an extensive and systematic new construction program. Currently the latest generation of platform supply vessels have completed the design phase.