Thrusters And Pods News

Finnish propulsion specialist Steerprop has been selected to supply a complete propulsion package—including the largest ducted propulsors ever produced by the company—for a new rock installation vessel ordered by Jan De Nul.The heavy-duty vessel, the third of its kind in Jan De Nul’s fleet, is designed primarily to work in the offshore energy sector, installing rock to protect cables on the seabed. To meet the demanding operational profile, the propulsion system must provide exceptional power and reliability—capable of propelling a vessel of up to 37…

Maritime system supplier Brunvoll has signed a contract with Vard to deliver complete propulsion and maneuvering systems for two Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs).The vessels, being built for international owner, will be equipped with from aft to bow with two azimuth propulsion thrusters propulsion, a retractable azimuth thruster, a tunnel thruster, and a combined retractable azimuth and tunnel thruster.The scope of supply features also Brunvoll’s Propulsion and Thruster Control system…

Damen Marine Components (DMC) has secured contracts to supply rudders, steering gear and nozzles for 14 multi-purpose vessels (MPVs) under construction at two shipyards in India.The contracts cover eight 6,300 DWT MPVs being built by Udupi Cochin Shipyard for a Scandinavian customer, and six 7,500 DWT MPVs being built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders for Danish shipowner Navi Merchants.For the Udupi Cochin Shipyard vessels, DMC will deliver piston-type steering gear and Atlantic-type rudders tailored to the specific design.

ABS has issued a New Technology Qualification certificate to HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) for their next-generation electric propulsion solution - the Medium Voltage Direct Current (MVDC) power system for ships.The Breakerless-MVDC Power System builds on HD Hyundai’s modular propulsion drive system and is the first in the world to receive an ABS NTQ certificate, indicating the technology’s feasibility and maturity…

ABB has signed a 15-year service agreement with Royal Caribbean Group, a vacation industry giant with a global fleet of 67 ships across its five brands.Covering 33 existing ships, the comprehensive agreement includes preventive maintenance and digital solutions to support and optimize propulsion operations, improve vessel safety, maximize fleet availability, and ensure fast turnaround times for planned Azipod propulsion servicing.Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.“Our collaboration with Royal Caribbean Group spans nearly three decades…

Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract to supply 17 shipsets of its US range of azimuth thrusters to Türkiye’s Sanmar Shipyards for a range of international tug projects.The US azimuth thrusters will be supplied across a range of power outputs between 1765kW and 2525kW with a bollard pull ranging between 60 and 85 tons.Sanmar Shipyards is a long-standing customer of Kongsberg Maritime and specializes in tugboat construction with nearly five decades of experience and more than 300 tugs delivered worldwide.Operating two facilities in Tuzla and Altınova…

It’s no surprise that waterjets are great for shallow-draft, highly maneuverable craft, but vessel designers are busting out of the old stereotypes.Vessel designer Aircat Vessels has developed a surface effect ship (SES) crew transport catamaran, AIRCAT 35 Crewliner, that can sail at over 50 knots and manage offshore transfers in 2.5-meter seas. The air cushion system from ESNA dynamically adjusts to sea conditions so the vessel can reduce transit times, reduce fuel consumption…

Skarv Shipping Solutions, a joint venture between Peak Group and Grieg Edge, has increased its order for ‘zero carbon project carriers’ from Shandong Huanghai Shipbuilding to five ships, extending its commitment to a Berg Propulsion package that optimizes vessel efficiency regardless of power source.Skarv specified inline ammonia-ready engines for the initial four 7,000 dwt ships, with the first ship due delivery in the fourth quarter of 2025, followed by three more through 2026.

Schottel will equip a new RoRo cargo vessel for U.S.-based United Launch Alliance (ULA) being built by Bollinger Shipyards in Amelia, Louisiana. The vessel, to be named SpaceShip, will transport Vulcan rockets from the factory in Decatur, Alabama, to the launch sites at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It will be equipped with three Schottel RudderPropellers SRP 460 LE and two Schottel TransverseThrusters STT 1. SpaceShip’s tailored electric system will be designed and supplied by elkon, a member of the Schottel Group.

Finland's Steerprop expanded its range of retractable thrusters with its biggest unit to date. Designed for offshore vessels and workboats that need high-performance station-keeping or thrust boost capabilities, the SP 45 R will be introduced on several offshore, renewables and special purpose vessels.Working with vessel operators and designers, Steerprop identified that the sealing and locking mechanisms are often a weak point for retractable designs. The R series minimizes downtime…

Kongsberg Maritime announced the launch of its new Tunnel Thruster type TTH, the Harmonised series, setting new standards in performance and reliability with a compact, modular design that allows for flexible installation and optimal integration into a wide range of vessel types.Key innovations include:Compact thruster design for easier hull integration and reduced installation footprintModular design with one core module covering several propeller diametersHydrodynamically optimised…

HamiltonJet’s latest innovation – the LTX waterjet – has moved from initial design to commercial reality, with the first LTX36 jets commissioned on a 20-m passenger ferry in The Netherlands.The vessel Inselexpress 2, built by Next Generation Shipyard, is powered by twin LTX36 jets driven by Volvo D8 engines (313 bkW) via ZF gearboxes. During trials, the ferry comfortably met its predicted top speed of 23.5 knots, validating the LTX’s technical promises and its potential to reshape propulsion performance in the 20–30 knot range.Originally launched as a new design in 2023…

A new field support vessel being built by Crist S.A. in Gdynia, Poland, to operate on the Grand Banks off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, will feature a full propulsion scope from Steerprop.Vessel operating conditions on the Grand Banks are extremely challenging due to heavy seas, fog and icebergs. This emphasizes the importance of the ship’s propulsion thrusters in maintaining dynamic positioning and facilitating safe and reliable operations.Steerprop’s capabilities…

Maritime system supplier Brunvoll has signed a contract with Vard to deliver a comprehensive package of propulsion and maneuvering thrusters for five Walk-2-Work (W2W) Service Operation Vessels (SOVs).Brunvoll’s delivery for each vessel consists of two azimuth propulsion thrusters, two retractable azimuth thrusters, and two tunnel thrusters.The vessels will also feature Brunvoll’s Propulsion and Thruster Control system, BruCon PTC, for efficient and accurate maneuvering.Featuring VARD 3 32 design…

Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract for the design and equip two multi-purpose subsea vessels for Olympic Group, which will be methanol-ready and feature battery hybrid technology.The UT7623 Sustainable Energy Vessels (SEVs) are the first references for Kongsberg Maritime’s latest subsea construction vessel designs and will feature a fully integrated package of technology including rim-drive propulsion, hybrid power and winch systems.The vessels will be constructed at the CMHI shipyard in Shenzhen…

Kongsberg Maritime has secured a project to convert the double ended car ferry MF Hamlet to emission-free battery powered operation.The ferry, operated by Öresundlinjen, on the route between Helsingør, Denmark, and Helsingborg, Sweden, will see a major upgrade including installation of large battery packs and new permanent magnet motors for the azimuth thrusters.The primary goals of the project include achieving zero emissions, enabling full electric operation with batteries, and having mechanical propulsion redundancy.The ferry will utilize high-voltage charging in port…

ProZero International, a workboat supplier in the Danish Tuco Marine Group, has been appointed as the exclusive distributor of the innovative American “Swamp Shark Drives propulsion systems” across Europe, West Africa, Kenya, and additional regions. This partnership brings a revolutionary solution to the maritime industry, particularly for operators in challenging environments such as mangrove areas, shallow waters, and debris-filled rivers.The Swamp Shark Drive is an advanced surface drive system engineered for seemless performance in demanding conditions.

Charleston Branch Pilots have returned a pilot boat to Gladding-Hearn after 10 years of continuous service for the port of Charlestown. The all-aluminum vessel will be repowered and refitted with a new Seakeeper 40 gyro stabilizer.The 65’ Fort Ripley was designed by Ray Hunt Design and Gladding-Hearn and built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard in 2014. With a top speed of 28 knots, it was the first commercial vessel in the United States powered by Volvo Penta IPS drives with twin forward-facing…

Schottel was selected to supply full propulsion packages for three new LNG bunkering vessels (LNGBV), each consisting of a controllable pitch propeller, a retractable rudder propeller, and a transverse thruster. The ships, with a loading capacity of 20,000 cbm, are currently under construction at the Chinese shipyard Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co. Ltd. and are scheduled for delivery in 2026 and 2027. Two vessels have been ordered by UK-based LNG bunkering provider Avenir LNG Ltd and one by Singaporean Vitol International Shipping Ltd.

Subsea Global Solutions has successfully executed a complex in-water thruster installation and rudder bushing replacement, eliminating the need for drydocking and ensuring the vessel remained on schedule.Originally planned for drydock, the repairs were expedited in-water when drydocking availability did not align with the vessel’s operational needs. Subsea Global Solutions was selected based on its extensive experience with in-water technical repairs and its history of successful projects for the client.The project was executed in Portland…

Wärtsilä and Elomatic signed a licensing and cooperation agreement covering the intellectual property rights, technology, and use of trademark of Elomatic’s Elogrid thruster solution.Elogrid is a transverse thruster grid technology, which is designed to reduce vessels’ fuel consumption while also enhancing thrusters’ performance.This technology improves both the water flow along the hull lines once a vessel is sailing as well as the water flow into the tunnel when the thrusters are in use…

Kongsberg Maritime has been hired as the lead integrator for hybrid and propulsion upgrade of the Norwegian Coastal Administration's (NCA) hybrid vessel OV Bøkfjord.The project will include installation of Kongsberg Maritime's electric Rim-Drive azimuth thrusters, together with an upgrade of hybrid capacity.The NCA is a national agency under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, responsible for coastal management, maritime safety, and emergency preparedness against acute pollution.The OV Bøkfjord was its first hybrid vessel…

Schottel has been awarded a contract to supply propellers and thruster for a Multi-Purpose Support Ship (MPSS) being built by Damen for the Portuguese Navy.For the main propulsion, Schottel will deliver two electrically powered EcoPeller type SRE 560 azimuth thrusters with an input power of 2,600 kW eachTo enhance maneuverability and DP capabilities, the newbuild will be equipped with a SCHOTTEL TransverseThruster type STT 3 FP (800 kW).With this thruster configuration, the 107-metre long and 20-meter-wide ship will reach a free sailing speed of 15.5 knots…