Written by
Nick Blenkey
The vessels in Windcat’s hydrogen-fueled Elevation Collection are being constructed at Damen’s Ha Lengthy Shipyard in Vietnam. [Image: Windcat]
The primary three within the sequence of hydrogen-fueled Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) ordered at Damen Shipyards by CMB Group’s offshore personnel switch subsidiary Windcat (see earlier story) will function full Schottel propulsion packages.
The 87-meter lengthy by 20-meters huge Elevation Collection walk-to-work CSOVs will come have comfy lodging for 120 passengers, and can present a big warehouse and deck in addition to varied leisure areas and a hospital. The propulsion system will consist of 4 Schottel kind SRP 430 D Dynamic RudderPropellers.
“The Elevation Collection will lead the sector in exploring hydrogen as a gas whereas delivering best-in-class efficiency and suppleness,” says Windcat’s managing director, Willem van der Wel. “It should set new requirements by way of consolation for crews and passengers. The SRP-D is an ideal match as a result of it can additionally save gas due to its minimized DP footprint and improve the variety of working days at sea by as much as 5 days per yr.”
Every of the thrusters is rated with an enter energy of 1,780 kW and has a propeller diameter of two,500 millimeters. They are going to be organized in Damen’s DPX-Drive configuration on the bow and stern starboard and port facet. No different forms of thruster are required on this format. Moreover vastly diminished propeller acceleration/deceleration instances and a high-speed azimuth steering system, the SRP-D moreover includes a compact design with an built-in prime mover (“Embedded L-Drive”) and an eight-degree tilted propeller shaft, leading to much less thruster-thruster and thruster-hull interplay.
Earlier investigations of the SRP-D by classification society DNV and the MARIN analysis institute confirmed that the impact of its extremely dynamic thrust allocation is most evident in harsh climate situations and that the brand new thruster considerably improves a vessel’s operational efficiency. Current unbiased analysis has confirmed quick and appreciable enhancements with the SRP-D with a present DP management system, even in WCF (worst-case-failure) situations.
The SRP-D was particularly engineered for difficult offshore functions, assembly the calls for for a minimized DP footprint, enhanced positioning accuracy and gas financial savings. Since its launch, it has been in excessive demand for CSOV newbuilds.
Schottel is presently supplying the SRP-D for seven vessels with 20 items total and has choices to equip seven extra vessels with any such thruster.
The three vessels within the Windcat Elevation Collection are being constructed at Damen’s Ha Lengthy Shipyard in Vietnam. The primary CSOV will launch in 2025 and be utilized by wind turbine technicians performing commissioning and upkeep work on offshore wind generators.
