Products & services

Wärtsilä introduces new transverse thruster

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 15 March 2016 15 March 2016

Wärtsilä is launching the new Wärtsilä WTT-40 transverse thruster at the Seatrade Cruise Global convention being held in Fort Lauderdale, USA from March 14 to 17. The first WTT-40's have been ordered and are scheduled for delivery during 2016.

This first variant is part of Wärtsilä's new transverse thruster series and features a 4000 kW power level and a 3400 mm diameter controllable pitch propeller, neither of which have been available in Wärtsilä's current product range. While Wärtsilä has designed and built large, up to 5500 kW, transverse thrusters as customised versions , the WTT-40 and others in the WTT range address customer needs for high power transverse thrusters for bow and stern applications.

Development work on the Wärtsilä WTT-40 began in 2015 in response to market demand. It is intended for various vessel types, notably cruise ships, large offshore support vessels (OSVs) and offshore construction vessels (OCVs). The high power level is particularly important for the harbour manoeuvring and docking of large ships, and for dynamic positioning of offshore vessels working in heavy sea conditions.

Because of its maximum power of 4000 kW, shipyards and cruise vessel designers can often utilise three WTT-40 thrusters instead of four smaller ones. This creates a more efficient vessel design with less space required for the transverse thrusters. It also allows them to be located closer to the bow where they are more effective. For the WTT-40 and other sizes of thruster in the WTT series, configurations with controllable pitch and fixed pitch propellers are available to fulfil a broad range of vessel design requirements. Wärtsilä's extensive experience with propeller design and tunnel optimizations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, ensures an optimal solution when it comes to propulsion performance, efficiency, and the minimisation of noise and vibration.

"The addition of the WTT-40 to our thruster portfolio represents an important enhancement of Wärtsilä's strong offering to the cruise and offshore sectors. Our unique position as a total solutions provider creates significant time and cost saving benefits for both ship owners and yards," says Arto Lehtinen, Vice President, Propulsion, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.

The Wärtsilä WTT-40 is able to comply with the US EPA's (Environmental Protection Agency) VGP2013 regulations. These state that environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) must be used in all oil-to-sea interfaces, such as the propeller shaft seal of transverse thrusters, when vessels are sailing in US coastal waters.

The new thruster also features integrated hydraulics to save machinery room space and installation and commissioning time in the shipyard. For owners, the integrated hydraulics provide reliability and maintainability benefits thanks to the good lubrication, oil conditioning and easy access for maintenance.

Comprehensive scope of Wärtsilä solutions again chosen for new cruise vessels

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 11 March 2016 11 March 2016

Two new cruise vessels being built for USA based Seabourn Cruise Line will feature a broad assortment of Wärtsilä propulsion, electrical and automation solutions. The ships are to be built at the Fincantieri yard in Italy. The 'Seabourn Encore' is already under construction and the 'Seabourn Ovation' is scheduled to join the Seabourn fleet in 2018. The contracts with Wärtsilä for the vessels' navigation and automation systems were signed in December 2015. The engine orders were signed in late 2014 and in the third quarter of 2015.

The comprehensive range of Wärtsilä navigation, automation and sensor systems to be installed on these vessels includes the Wärtsilä Nacos Platinum and Wärtsilä Valmatic Platinum systems. Wärtsilä will also deliver consoles for the bridge and engine control room, including a video wall. Also to be delivered by Wärtsilä is a tank level and flood detection system, as well as the valve remote control.

The scope of supply also includes a complete Wärtsilä electrical propulsion system. For each of the vessels, Wärtsilä will supply four Wärtsilä 32 engines. The ships will be fitted with two 6 MW, low noise, diesel-electric propulsion units featuring a combination of innovative frequency converter design and redundant layouts. Wärtsilä will also supply four thruster drives for the bow and stern, four diesel alternators, four AC motors for the thrusters, two dedicated 6.6 kV switchboards for high voltage distribution, and four transformers for low voltage mains supply.

"Modern cruise vessels are highly complex with unique operational requirements and Wärtsilä has developed its technologies accordingly to meet these demanding requirements. We are, therefore, extremely pleased to have been once again chosen to provide our state-of-the-art systems for an important cruise vessel operator," says Maik Stoevhase, Director, Automation, Navigation and Control, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.

The Wärtsilä Nacos Platinum solution integrates all navigation and automation system controls into a single system that enables the vessel to be navigated, controlled, and monitored from various onboard positions. The truly multi-functional work stations provide combined displays of radar, ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System) and conning information, as well as automatic steering and voyage planning operations. Additionally, and on a similar product platform, the Wärtsilä Valmatic Platinum integrated automation system controls all onboard machinery, with added capabilities for vessel power management and integrated management. Complete management control is maintained via a dedicated communications network connected to multi-purpose work stations in the engine control room and on the bridge.

 

ABB sells Azipod XOs to Crystal Cruises’ Executive class

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 15 March 2016 15 March 2016

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, says it has won a wide scope of orders to deliver propulsion systems for two new cruise ships to be built by the Lloyd Werft Group in Germany, for Crystal Cruises’ ‘Exclusive Class’ announced last year.

ABB will deliver four of its Azipod XO units – a gearless steerable propulsion system comprising an electric drive motor contained in a submerged pod outside the ship’s hull – to be used on the new builds.

“One of the systems is designed specifically for ice-going service. Furthermore, the Azipod systems will reduce ships’ lifecycle costs and help them operate at optimum efficiency. Two of the units will be capable of up to 22 megawatts (MW) of power each and two of 19 MW each, the optimal propulsion solution for both open water and high ice-class operation,” the company said in a statement

The three 100,000 gross ton vessels are due for delivery at one year intervals from 2018 to 2020 .

Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque carries out major refit and rebranding project for DFDS Seaways

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 09 March 2016 09 March 2016

Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque is assisting DFDS Seaways, northern Europe’s largest shipping and logistics company, in a major refit and rebranding programme, with five vessels successfully completed so far. Two more ferries are currently at the Dunkirk-based repair yard, which is the closest facility to the main cross-channel ferry routes.

Three of DFDS’ ‘D-Class’ ferries - the Dover Seaways, Dunkerque Seaways and Delft Seaways - were upgraded in just three weeks. These vessels operate on the Dover-Dunkirk route.

Next to the normal dry docking work scope, Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque carried out extensive work and overhauled the propulsion, stern and bow thrusters, rudders, engines and repainted the vessels with the company’s new livery, requiring an impressive 11,000 sq m of paint per ferry. The Dunkerque Seaways’ bow doors were also rehung and the Kongsberg Power Management and Control System were upgraded with the latest hardware and software.

As well as the three D Class ferries, DFDS had acquired two ferries from a former cross-channel operator - the Côte des Flandres and the Côte des Dunes - and these underwent a similar refit. The two new vessels, which left the yard in February, joined the Dover-Calais service.

Nigel Cureton DFDS A/S Fleet Group Manager Channel, says: “We mainly chose to go to Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque for this extensive refit programme because of its large drydock, which is very suitable given the amount of paintwork involved in this project and when there is a tight schedule. And because this shipyard is closest to the cross-channel routes, this gives us flexibility should we encounter delays. However, there were no delays and all five vessels were delivered on time and on schedule.”

Bob Derks, Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque Managing Director, comments: “There was a lot of competition for this major refit project. I think DFDS Seaways appreciate the efforts and investments we’ve made at our facility and we are continuously making improvements.”

The five-vessel refit was completed in a very tight time schedule and Damen formed a joint project team with the owner, overseeing everything from safety to logistics, as well as working closely with Trimline, the company that carried out the interior refurbishment.

Two more DFDS ferries are now at the yard – the Calais Seaways and Malo Seaways.

Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque typically employs around 150 people but when the DFDS ferries came into the facility the workforce tripled so it could ensure that the ferries entered service again as quickly as possible.

Mr Derks adds that because the yard handled the vessels in short succession, the project benefited from having a dedicated team in place, which knows the vessels well. “This provided continuity and enabled us to improve processes to get the project handled as efficiently as possible.”

With the addition of the two new ferries, DFDS increased its fleet to six ships on the Dover-France routes, offering a combined daily frequency of up to 54 sailings.