Podded propulsion is mainly used by passenger vessels or ships like tugs that have to manoeuvre qickly. But the first bulk carrier installation is just around the corner
The first bulk operateur to use azipod electric propulsion manufactured by ABB is Oldendorff Carriers. Two 21,500 dwt self-unloading[ds_preview] bulker will be equipped with pod propulsion. The vessels are set for delivery in 2021 from the Chengxi Shipyard in China. Each will feature two 1.9 MW Azipod units. Additionally, ABB will also supply a wide range of electric, digital and connected solutions for each ship, including a main diesel-electric power plant, generators, bow thruster motors, transformers, switchboards and the power management system for propulsion and cargo handling.
»The choice of Azipod electric propulsion system has reduced the investment costs dramatically as the vessels are already equipped with high power generation required for self-unloading/loading cargo handling,« says Jan Henneberg, Newbuilding Manager, Oldendorff Carriers. »These shuttle vessels must perform reliably over an extended period at maximum efficiency, and need to be especially maneuverable in shallow waters.«
For ABB, the order by a bulker company for it’s Azipod propulsion is a breakthrough. Especially with the background that some people suggested that these type of ships would always remain closed to podded propulsion, says Juha Koskela, Managing Director, ABB Marine & Ports. The newbuild vessels have been developed by Shanghai-based CS Marine design company together with Oldendorff Carriers. They will be able to unload cargo utilizing a built-in conveyor system and without the need for assistance from shoreside equipment or personnel.
Oldendorff will deploy the vessels for transshipment operations – transfer of cargo offshore from oceangoing vessels before delivery to the final destination.
Another main changg we have seen in podded propulsion during the past twelve months is that Rolls-Royce have sold their pod business to Kongsberg. Since April 2019 the products of the Mermaid series and of the Elegance series belong to the Norwegian company, headquartered in the town of Kongsberg, about 50km west of Oslo.
Thrustmaster, a company based in Houston, Texas, developed a compact pod design called T-Pod with an integrated permanent magnet (PM) e-motor installed in the lower pod. It is directly driving the propeller shaft. According to Thrustmaster this eliminates the need for spiral bevel gears and all of their associated shafts and bearings. The motor is cooled by the sourrounding seawater or river water. The units are available in fully azimuthing configuration with multi-conductor slipring assembly or as fixed non-stearable pods for use in cunjunction with rudders or with +/- 90° steering. The podded thruster is available in a power range from 90 kW up to 2,500 kW either with an open propeller or in a high thrust nozzle configuration.
On the following pages HANSA presents the annual listing of manufacturers and their products in the pod/rim thrusters segment.
