Main Propulsion Systems News

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…

U.S. shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $97 million fixed-price advance procurement contract from the U.S. Coast Guard on Friday to purchase long-lead materials for an 11th National Security Cutter (NSC).The funds will be used to purchase major components for NSC 11, such as steel, the main propulsion systems, generators, electrical switchboards and major castings.Ingalls has delivered seven NSCs, the flagship of the Coast Guard’s cutter fleet…

When it was time for France Pelagique to start renewing its fleet, an electric-power alliance of Dutch and Scandinavian yard interests formed up and delivered. The result was the first installation aboard a trawler of NES’s Odin’s Eye, a DC grid solution to integrate another first for trawlers — quiet-running permanent magnate, or PM, propulsion.Where to begin a fleet modernization that ends with green credentials and richer harvests? Well, there are multiple points of contact…

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division received a $94 million fixed-price contract from the U.S. Coast Guard today to purchase long-lead materials for a 10th National Security Cutter (NSC). “National Security Cutters continue to be extremely important assets for the coastal defense of our homeland,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. “These ships are enabling the Coast Guard’s missions in not only defending our shores, but also in the detection and interdiction of drugs and other contraband. The advance procurement funds will be used to purchase major components for NSC 10, such as steel, the main propulsion systems, generators, electrical switchboards and major castings.

NTSB Issues Update on Investigation Into Sinking of Cargo Ship El Faro. On February 13, 2015, El Faro successfully completed the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) class and statutory surveys, meeting all rules and regulations as applicable. All deficiencies identified were rectified prior to completion of the surveys. None of the deficiencies were associated with El Faro’s main propulsion systems. The annual inspection of El Faro, required by the United States Coast Guard (USCG), was completed by qualified USCG inspectors in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on March 6, 2015. In June 2015, a qualified ABS surveyor examined and tested the main, auxiliary and emergency systems as part of the continuous machinery survey program and found them to be satisfactory.

GE Marine announced it has signed a contract with Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik Ve Ticaret A.Ş. (STM), Ankara, Turkey, whereby GE will provide STM with LM2500 gas turbines. The engines will power the Turkish Navy’s third and fourth MILGEM multi-purpose corvettes, GE reported today during the IDEF ’15 industry trade show. STM is the program manager for these new two ships, and will provide platform systems, construction materials, design services and the main propulsion systems, as well as integration of the propulsion system.

At this year’s SMM in Hamburg, Voith will showcase propulsion systems and vessel concepts focusing on high efficiency and dynamic positioning even under challenging conditions. In hall A4, booth 203, a Voith Schneider Propeller as well as the Voith Inline Thruster 850, which can also be used as a bow thruster, will be on display. The Voith Linear Jet, an electric control stand, and various ship models with Voith propulsion systems round off the trade stand presentation. Offshore exploration and energy generation are gaining in importance worldwide.

Ingalls Shipbuilding division says it has received an $76.5 million fixed-price contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to purchase long-lead materials for the eighth National Security Cutter, Midgett (WMSL 757). Construction and delivery of Midgett would take place at the company's Pascagoula facility. The advance procurement funds will be used to purchase major items for Midgett, including steel, the main propulsion systems, generators, electrical switchboards and major castings. "The long-lead material contracts give our shipbuilders the ability to immediately start construction of the ship if and when that contract is awarded," said Jim French, Ingalls' National Security Cutter program manager.

Wärtsilä received an order to supply complete main propulsion systems for six new chemical tankers. The ships are being built at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group yard in China on behalf of Stolt Tankers B.V., the operator of one of the world's largest chemical tanker fleets and a unit of Stolt-Nielsen Limited. There is an option for a further two vessels. The Wärtsilä propulsion packages include Wärtsilä RT-flex50 two-stroke engines, controllable pitch propellers with a tunnel gearbox and shaft generator and oily water separators.

Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding division has started fabrication on the U.S. Coast Guard's sixth National Security Cutter (NSC), 'Munro'. Designed to replace the 378-foot Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters, the NSCs are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam and displace 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 110. "Our shipbuilders have a great jump start on the construction of this ship as we have already cut and processed more than 400 tons of steel for NSC 6…

Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding division received a $76.8 million fixed-price contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to purchase long-lead materials for Kimball (WMSL 756), the company's seventh National Security Cutter (NSC). Construction and delivery will be performed at the company's Pascagoula facility. "This advance procurement contract allows us to maintain production line and supplier base momentum while we prepare for the ship construction contract," said Jim French, Ingalls' NSC program manager.

Warsash Maritime Academy will welcome the eighth scaled ship model to its fleet in May 2013. It will be the first container ship to join the existing fleet at Southampton Solent University’s Ship Handling Center when it is officially launched at a special ceremony. Industry leaders, dignitaries and University staff will be present at the launch and naming ceremony which will be presided over by Admiral, The Right Honorable Lord West of Spithead, at the Center in Timsbury, near Romsey on Thursday 16 May 2013.

Leading international classification society Bureau Veritas has classed the first passenger ferry built in Bangladesh for a Danish owner and operation in Danish waters. The 147-passenger Isefjord was built by Western Marine Shipyard Limited in Chittagong, Bangladesh and delivered to Danish operator Hundested  Rorvig  Faergefart A/S in February. The vessel meets all Danish Maritime Authority requirements and will fly the Danish flag. The vessel is a 51-meter-long double-ended ferry equipped to carry up to 147 passengers and 28 vehicles.

Caterpillar, Inc. is continuing its focus on LNG engine technology as part of its ongoing commitment to develop environmentally clean, fuel-efficient engines for the marine industry. This initiative will ensure the company’s marine-focused engines are in compliance with existing IMO II (and pending IMO III) emissions requirements and low-sulfur fuel regulations in emission-controlled areas. Following the company’s 2011 introduction of the MaK M 46 DF, a dual-fuel engine platform for the commercial marine industry that will be available in 1st quarter  2014, Caterpillar is simultaneously developing a LNG-fueled, high-speed engine below 2 MW that will be designed primarily for electric propulsion with specific focus on offshore and ferry applications.

ABB recently won an order worth $80 million from Samsung Heavy Industries to supply energy efficient drives, motors and electrical power systems for five drilling vessels and two liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers to be built at Samsung’s shipyard in Korea. The vessels will be used to extract, process and transport oil and gas. The order was booked in the second quarter of 2012. Samsung Heavy Industries, a branch of the giant South-Korean holding, focuses its shipyard business on a wide range of large vessel types, including LNG carriers, drill ships and semi-submersible drilling rigs.

ABB's order, worth $80 million from Samsung Heavy Industries, is to supply energy efficient drives, motors and electrical power systems for five drilling vessels and two liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers to be built at Samsung’s shipyard in Korea. The vessels will be used to extract, process and transport oil and gas. Samsung is building five drill ships (three for Seadrill Ltd. in Norway, one for Pacific Drilling S.A in Brazil and one for Ensco Plc in the UK) and two LNG carrier vessels for Golar LNG Ltd in the UK. The vessels will be used for oil and gas exploration and the transportation of liquefied natural gas. ABB will deliver the complete electrical system for the seven vessels…

Exxon Mobil Corp. announced that M/T Kestrel, a new double-hull very large crude oil carrier (VLCC), was delivered for leasing to a Trust established by Marcare Shipping Co., a joint shipping venture among subsidiaries of ExxonMobil, the Onassis Group and Petros J. Goulandris Sons Group. Kestrel, the second of two sister vessels to be leased to the Marcare Trust, will be chartered by International Marine Transportation Limited (IMT), a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation based in the UK. Kestrel's sister ship, the M/T Hawk, was delivered for leasing on August 25, 2000. The joint venture, in which all three partners hold an equal share, was formed in December 1998. Ulsan, Korea shipyard. The 307,000 dwt Kestrel is 1,100 x 190 x 206 ft.

Today, we live in a new era of global maritime standards, with the advent of ISO, ISM, and STCW-95. The industry has embraced these standards as mechanisms to ensure that corporate policy, company operational procedures, and mariners sailing on the open seas are measured and certified. Old internal practices have been done away with, and the new standard within the industry is to certify compliance in companies and aboard ships. At the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) and Pacific Maritime Institute (PMI), it is our business to train professional mariners. Our curriculum has been structured to exceed the standards of STCW and to provide mariners with the most realistic and technically advanced training available.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) said that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division received a $76 million fixed-price contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to purchase long-lead materials for a sixth National Security Cutter (NSC). Construction and delivery of the yet-to-be-named WMSL 755 will be performed at the company's Pascagoula facility. A second phase of the contract, when awarded, would bring the overall value to $88 million. "This award demonstrates the Coast Guard's ongoing commitment to the National Security Cutter program and continued confidence in our shipbuilders…

The family of offshore vessels also includes so-called offshore construction vessels. The latter are multi-purpose ships for the oil and gas industry used for the installation of ever more complex platforms and extraction systems, as well as for the laying of pipelines. OCVs are in service in all oceans of the world and equipped for long-term operation on the high seas. The OCV currently under construction can accommodate more than 120 crew members. For Voith Turbo Schneider Propulsion, the new vessel represents another engineering feat, because it is the largest and most powerful ship ever fitted with Voith Schneider Propellers (VSP) as main propulsion systems. Three VSP are installed in the stern, and two in the bow – all five of them type VSP 36R6 EC/280-2.

Siemens Marine Solutions has been commissioned by the Spanish shipyard Navantia S.A. to equip two new multi-functional supply ships with pod propulsion units and power supply equipment. The final customer is the Australian navy which intends to use the two ships to improve the range of its amphibian deployment capabilities. To this end, the ships (LHDs - Landing Helicopter Docks) will be equipped with up to twelve helicopters. Both ships will be built in Ferrol in the north-west of Spain and the final equipment will be installed at the Tenix shipyard in Australia. The order is worth some $67.5m. Siemens is responsible for all the electrical propulsion and power supply equipment for the two ships.