Drive Technology News

NOV reports its Lifting & Handling group has sold what is said to be the industry’s first-ever electric subsea crane. The order was booked at the end of 2023 with an undisclosed client in Europe, NOV said.The first-of-its-kind crane offers enhanced efficiency compared to electro-hydraulic cranes, helping lead to reduced vessel emissions, the manufacturer said, adding that the design allows for the recovery of potential energy from loads lowered to the seabed, supporting onboard use or storage.In addition…

Erik Thun Group selected Berg Propulsion’s Dynamic Drive technology to optimize efficiency on board all 10 of its latest newbuildings. The Swedish owner confirmed its decision after pilot installations exceeded energy efficiency gain expectations, with the integrated drive solution helping to save 10% of fuel, rising to 20% in some operational conditions.As part of Erik Thun’s rolling fleet renewal strategy, the owner recently expanded its newbuild program with Dutch yard Shipsveerf Ferus Smit B.V to include four 5…

Jan De Nul Group together with its consortium partners LS Cable & System and Denys has signed the contracts for two 525 HVDC cable systems for the two grid connection systems BalWin4 and LanWin1. These mark the first two contracts signed under the long-term framework agreement that TenneT and Jan De Nul have signed earlier this year. The projects comprise the design, manufacturing, transport, installation, protection and testing of three 525 kV cable systems for connecting offshore…

Offshore installation services company Jan De Nul has ordered an extra-large cable-laying ship with an "unrivaled" cable-carrying capacity from China's CMHI Haimen shipyard.The vessel, to be named Fleeming Jenkin, will have a cable-carrying capacity of 28,000 tons, and will serve the renewable energy and subsea cable industry in installing cables over longer distances and in deeper waters. The vessel will be delivered in 2026. "Offshore wind farms go deeper and further offshore, and the interconnectivity between countries and regions become essential for the economy and energy security.

Germany-based inland waterway shipping firm HGK Shipping has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hydrogenious LOHC Maritime and Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies to work on developing a scalable solution to make hydrogen available as a source of energy on a large scale. The technology is based on hydrogen, which is bound in a liquid carrier (LOHC, liquid organic hydrogen carrier). The partners are planning to develop a demonstration vessel by 2028 and then put it into service…

German shipbuilder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) has cut first steel for a new new roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) freight vessel being constructed for Australian shipping company SeaRoad.A May 20 steel cutting event involved the ceremonial ‘pushing of the button’ to start the laser cutting machine with SeaRoad Technical Marine Manager, Tony Johnson, and FSG CEO Philipp Maracke doing the honors. Johnson is currently on the ground in Germany overseeing the newbuild project.The 210-meter-long newbuild was ordered in 2021 at a cost of more than €100 million.

The UK plans to give a boost to the country's shipbuilding sector, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing a £4 billion (around $5.26 billion) injection into regional shipbuilding "to support thousands of high-quality jobs."The PM's office said in an announcement Thursday that funding will support shipyards and suppliers across the UK, delivering a pipeline of more than 150 new naval and civil vessels.The multi-billion pound investment will galvanize and support shipyards and suppliers across the UK…

Finland-based marine engine maker Wärtsilä said Tuesday it would deliver main and auxiliary engines, fuel storage tanks, gas handling equipment and electrical systems for a new RoRo being built for Australian operator SeaRoad Shipping.The 210 meter-long vessel is being built at the Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) shipyard in Germany. The RoRo vessel will operate primarily on LNG fuel.The vessel will be powered by two Wärtsilä 46DF dual-fuel main engines and three Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines.

Offshore installation firm Jan De Nul said Thursday that Les Alizés, its next-gen floating offshore installation vessel had been launched at the CMHI Haimen shipyard in China.The vessel is now ready for the final construction phase, including sea trials, to be completed by H2 2022.Les Alizés will be the largest Heavy Lift Vessel in Jan De Nul’s fleet, able to install XXL offshore wind components, in floating conditions and with ultra-low emissions.The launch started on January 2, by flooding the dry dock in which Les Alizés was built.

Marine services and towage firm KOTUG Canada Inc., a partnership between KOTUG International and Canada’s Horizon Maritime Inc., has won a long-term agreement with Trans Mountain, operator of Canada’s only oil pipeline servicing the West Coast of Canada providing tidewater access to foreign markets for Canada’s petroleum resources. KOTUG Canada will provide escort towage to tankers loaded at Westridge Marine Terminal. "KOTUG Canada was selected for this purpose by shippers on the Trans Mountain Pipeline after a rigorous and competitive process facilitated by Trans Mountain.

WE Tech won additional orders in South Korea to supply its permanent magnet shaft generator solutions to four LPG Carriers to be built by Hyundai Mipo DockyardThe shaft generator solution comes with frequency drive technology and is designed to produce all required electrical power needed for the vessel over a wide main engine speed range, aimed to deliver substantial fuel savings and reduction of maintenance cost by reducing auxiliary generator operation. “Our solution is compact and fits perfectly to this type of gas carriers.

WE Tech Solutions said Tuesday it has been awarded a contract to equip six additional newbuild liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers that will be chartered to Shell.The Finnish firm said it will deliver six shipsets of its Solution One for the 174,000m³ capacity LNG carriers, which are chartered to energy major Shell LNG via the owners Knutsen OAS Shipping, J.P.Morgan Asset Management and Korea Line Corporation. The order is an option to the earlier eight contracted in March, now also added with a second option for another six more.The vessels are being built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co.…

U.S. shipbuilding company Vigor has selected ABB to supply the hybrid-electric propulsion and energy storage systems for the newest additions to the Washington State Ferry fleet, setting the largest U.S. ferry system on course to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel use.The new Olympic Class ferries, each with a capacity of 144 cars and 1,500 passengers, with the planned addition of charging capability at terminals, would reduce fuel consumption by up to 95%. Upon delivery in 2024…

Mile by mile better and more efficient: With the new GEA marine Separator 35 GEA supports its long-standing customer and partner Danaos Shipping, Greece. With a fleet of 60 container ships, Danaos Shipping ranks among the top 3 in the Greek shipping business. The company was founded in 1972 by Dr. Dimitris Koustas. Today, his son, Dr John Koustas, who also has more than 30 years of extensive experience in the shipping industry, is President and CEO. Danaos shipping is very active in researching innovations in ship operation and has participated in several EU-funded projects.

GEA equipped two Hapag-Lloyd container ships with the GEA marine Separator which it recently presented at SMM 2018 in Hamburg. The GEA marine Separators 50 and 90 are equipped with integrated direct drive technology. This GEA technology has been successfully used on the “Budapest Express” and “Colombo Express” for the last one and a half years. The two medium-sized container ships, each with roughly 8,750 TEU, are used in U.S.-China service transfers.The integration of the new separators with the ship machinery went smoothly…

Corvus Energy, a provider high power energy storage in the form of modular lithium ion battery systems to the maritime industry, has completed the installation of a 5.5 MWh battery energy storage systems (ESS) in each of the two Grimaldi Group RoPax cruise ferries Cruise Barcelona and Cruise Roma.The energy storage solutions supplier said in a press release that the ‘mega batteries’ will allow the Grimaldi cruise ferries to turn off the diesel engines and operate solely on battery power and with zero emissions for up to four hours during port stay.“The Corvus energy storage system is an important component in our vision for sustainable shipping…

WE Tech Solutions, a leading energy efficiency solution provider, has received an order to supply an integrated package, including Propulsion Drives, Permanent Magnet Shaft Generator, Shore Connection Switchgear, Bow Thruster Motor and DC Link to two new 22000 DWT tankers for chemical and oil products with an option for another two. The tankers are built by Wuhu Shipyard Co. Ltd for the Swedish ship owner Rederi AB Donsötank. WE Tech’s equipment delivery to Wuhu Shipyard will…

Liebherr Maritime presents its new LiUP crane driver elevator for mobile harbour cranes at this year’s terminal operator trade fair, TOC Europe. The in-house developed lift has an innovative drive technology and is powered by an electric motor with lithium-ion battery and energy recovery function.The inhouse developed Liebherr crane driver elevator LiUP is designed to transport the operator in a save and efficient way to his workplace. The LiUP saves the drivers energy and time compared to climbing up several stairs.

STADT has signed up for designing a new generation of naval ships utilizing the Stealth AC drive technology for electric propulsion to one of the NATO allied countries. Particular details about the projects is not supposed to be revealed at the moment. Unique features of this technology is its reliability and long lifetime, its noise free characteristics, compact footprint and low weight, and many other operational advantages.The STADT Lean Propulsion solution can be used in any size of ships due to its scalability.STADT delivered its Stealth Lean Drive technology to SAAB AB a year ago…

The demanding conditions of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia are plain sailing for MS Viikki, the world’s first LNG-fueled bulk carrier. The solution, built around WE Tech’s variable frequency drive technology WE Drive and The Switch direct drive permanent magnet shaft generator, helps the vessel achieve Ice Class 1A propulsion, while still slashing fuel consumption, costs and emissions. It is a game-changer for ice-class operations.Demanding high standardsESL Shipping is…

Spanish offshore industry player Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has unveiled a giant new 10+ MW wind turbine it claims will boost yields by 30 per cent, paving the way for a new generation of super-charged offshore wind farms.The turbine maker said in a press release that the new SG 10.0-193 DD is set to hit the market in 2022.Based on the experience of its previous generations, the newest wind turbine in the SGRE offshore product portfolio builds on proven technology for maximum energy yield at all wind speeds. It offers the same reliability while improving profitability and reducing risk for customers.“The new SG 10.0-193 DD combines experiences and knowledge from five generations of proven direct drive technology in one 10 MW turbine.

Cranes and winches in particular can benefits from this practice.Early electric motors were operated at one speed, guided by available current and voltage and often drive belt and pulley systems that mechanically controlled system speed and power. As motors evolved, efficiency improved, mostly by changing output control from mechanical to electrical and eventually leading to the creation of modern adjustable speed drives (AC drives).Today, the largest potential for electric motor energy savings lies in system- and process-level optimization.

Rolls-Royce said it has won an order to deliver its first EPA Tier 4-compliant propulsion systems from MTU to WETA (Water Emergency Transportation Authority) for installation in three brand-new catamaran ferries. The first of the three high-speed ferries is expected to enter service on the San Francisco Bay in late 2018. The San Francisco Bay is subject to special environmental protection. “Our goal is to operate a ferry service that is sustainable, cost-efficient and eco-friendly,” said Nina Rannells, WETA Executive Director.