Maritime Propulsion News

Cummins received Approval in Principle (AIP) from DNV for its methanol-ready QSK60 IMO II and IMO III engines, available in power ratings from 2000 to 2700 hp (1491 - 2013 kW). The approval validates Cummins' retrofittable methanol dual-fuel solution for the global marine market.Cummins plans to launch the retrofit kits post-2028 to align with market demand and infrastructure readiness. Designed for diesel-electric systems, these kits can be integrated with battery technology…

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.

In the ever-evolving quest for cleaner, more efficient energy sources in maritime vessel operations, nuclear power has re-emerged as a topic of serious discussion, as shipowners eye the International Maritime Organization push to ‘net zero’ on or around 2050. Admittedly, there is no ‘silver bullet’ solution for the entirety of maritime premised on the wide variety of routes and ship types, but nuclear holds promise in several large-ship, oceangoing sectors. Phil Lewis, Director of Research at Intelatus…

Wärtsilä signed a Lifecycle Agreement with CMA Ships, a leading French shipping company and CMA CGM subsidiary. The agreement covers 14 large LNG-fuelled container ships already in operation. The order with Wärtsilä was booked in Q1 2025.The scope of the agreement with CMA Ships will ensure operational reliability while providing maintenance planning flexibility and long-term cost predictability. “The management of new fuels such as LNG can be complex and costly. This agreement with Wärtsilä will help us secure ship operations and optimize engine maintenance costs.

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.

Timo Vesala, Account Manager, Americas, at ABB Marine & Ports, is responsible for newbuild sales in the Americas market. Since joining ABB in 2018, he has gathered extensive experience in the marine industry with a focus on electrification and propulsion systems. He holds a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Aalto University, Finland, and has a passion for clean technology and maritime decarbonization. This month, in our annual Power & Propulsion edition, he weighs…

The maritime industry’s elusive quest to achieve so-called ‘zero’ emissions continues. Where it ends is not a one-size-fits-all discussion.The year-end maritime industry discussions tend to move away from global influence and back drift to national and domestic debates. As this happens, a positioning of a relatively small group of American owners and operators prepare for the upcoming business year and markets. The propulsion debate continues to be future fuels based upon sustainability and climate change.

In a ceremony in Rauma, Finland, Damen Shipyards Group and Kongsberg Maritime have celebrated the delivery of the 1500th Kongsberg azimuth thruster to Damen, in a relationship spanning more than 40 years.This latest delivery continues the supply of azimuth thrusters for Damen’s wide range of tug designs, operating for its customers in ports across the world. Thruster number 1500 is one of a pair which will be installed on a Damen ASD Tug 2813, currently under construction at Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam.Speaking at the event…

Alternative fuels are not top of the list of naval requirements for gensets, but they are inching their way up.The naval world is largely exempt from the decarbonization pressure faced by commercial shipping, but it can’t ignore it entirely. As a famed naval strategist once said: “Fuel stands first in importance of the resources necessary to a fleet.”Navies must therefore consider their fuel supply options carefully given that commercial shipping is currently rewriting supply and demand dynamics.Indeed…

Shipowners in all sectors face the same decision: build new or refurbish older tonnage. In the booming cruise sector the decision is more pressing, particularly as new construction ships can take two to three years to build, perhaps longer today with global shipyard orderbooks packed full.When the decision was taken to upgrade the nearly 40-year-old MS Amera, trust for the project landed with BSM Cruise, the technical ship manager of MS Amera, and Wabtec channel partner VMS Group…

Brunvoll signed a contract with Tersan Shipyard for the delivery of propulsion and maneuvering systems for two 150-m, 16,500-dwt stainless steel chemical product tankers to be owned Tune Chemical Tankers (TCT), which also is a part of Tersan Group.The vessels are designed by Norden Ship Design House, based in Istanbul, Turkey, and the contract includes an option for two more vessels.Brunvoll’s delivery for the vessels consists of a complete shaft line solution with a reduction gearbox and a controllable pitch propeller…

Kongsberg Maritime won a contract to supply azimuth thrusters to Turkish shipbuilder Med Marine, to power six new sterndrive tugs for the Tunisian port authority OMMP.The new tugs, of Robert Allan RAstar 2800 series design, are designed for a range of towing and harbor operations in Tunisian ports.Kongsberg Maritime will supply a pair of its US205 FP azimuth thrusters to each of the six 28-m vessels. The thrusters feature 2.8-m, fixed pitch propellers which will deliver efficient operation and enhanced maneuverability…

Chantiers de l’Atlantique selected Brunvoll as the supplier of main propulsion for Orient Express Silenseas’s new cruise ships, which are going to become the world’s largest sailing ships. The order is for two vessels, with another two as option.The delivery from Brunvoll is a propulsion system consisting of a twin-screw configuration with a controllable pitch propeller with a diameter of 3.9 meters. The propellers are designed to be fully feathering to limit drag while sailing.

Matt Hart, Manager & Platform Leader, Marine & Stationary Power Systems, Wabtec, offers insights on how the megatrends of decarbonization, energy transition and autonomy all inspire and impact the marine power solutions from Wabtec.Matt, to start us off, can you provide insight on the journey to your present position?I graduated from the University of Notre Dame with an undergraduate in Mechanical Engineering and started with General Electric in the Edison Engineering Development rotational program at the Erie…

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…

Kongsberg Maritime has won a contract to upgrade the propulsion systems on five ro-ro passenger ferries for Italian operator Moby. The vessel upgrades will together reduce CO2 emissions by more than 30,000 tons per year.Moby operates a fleet of ro-ro passenger ferries, operating in the western Mediterranean, including routes between the Italian mainland, Sicily, and Sardinia.Three of the ships, the Moby Vinci, the Sharden, and the Moby Aki, will all receive a Promas Lite propulsion system, which combines rudder and propeller into one propulsion unit.

The quest to build a series of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs), which will serve as training ships for five U.S. maritime academies, has drawn a broad cadre of suppliers. The powerplant was a main focus, helping to evolve the schools from steam power plants to a modern propulsion package.NSMVs being built for the maritime academies is widely lauded as a ‘win’ for U.S. shipbuilding, an example of commercial shipbuilding practices applied to a government shipbuilding project.

ClassNK recently released FAQs on the FuelEU Maritime (1st Edition), an overview and necessary preparation for FuelEU Maritime, regulations newly introduced by the European Union (EU) to promote the decarbonization of fuels used on board ships.The EU has set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to the 1990 levels, with the aim of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.As part of a comprehensive climate policy package "Fit for 55" for achieving this goal…

ClassNK issued an Approval in Principle (AiP) for an ammonia-fueled gas carrier which has been jointly developed by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Tsuneishi Shipbuilding and Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding.Ammonia is expected to be used as a ship fuel for decarbonization since it does not emit CO2 when combusted. While still in development, some project that it will be the dominate 'alternative fuel' starting in the mid-2030s.In the meantime, adequate safety measures are imperative as it has been pointed out that ammonia is toxic to humans and corrosive to materials.

Wärtsilä has awarded Damen Marine Components (DMC) a contract to provide steering equipment to two Landing Platform Docks (LPD) of the Chilean Navy being built at ASMAR. DMC is supplying a range of energy efficient equipment to the vessels, which will reduce fuel consumption and resultant emissions.The 110-m long Chilean Navy LPDs are being constructed for the Escotillón IV project at the state-owned Astilleros y Maestranzas de la Armada (ASMAR) shipyard. The ships will fulfil…

Helena Lennerstedt was appointed CEO of Humphree. She has a background in several leading positions in different companies in the Swedish industry, and for the last seven years whe has been Vice President Purchasing at Volvo Penta. She has a Master’s in engineering from Linköping University and has studied International Business.Lennerstedt succeeds Hannes Norrgren who has taken up the role of Senior Vice President for Business Unit Industrial at Volvo Penta. Lennerstedt will take up the new position in January 2023.

WinGD and CMB.TECH announced plans to collaborate on a fleet of ammonia fuelled bulk carriers. The pair signed an agreement on the development of ammonia-fuelled two-stroke engines, aiming to install the ammonia dual-fuel X72DF engine on a series of ten x 210,000 DWT bulk carriers to be built at a Chinese shipyard in 2025 and 2026.CMB.TECH will support WinGD in establishing its ammonia-fuelled engine concept for a large bore engine. CMB.TECH has significant insight into alternative fuels and builds…

The increased performance of the fast-responsive Schottel RudderPropeller Dynamic SRP-D was confirmed by external sources. Initial investigations into the effect of thruster response on DP positioning were carried out in cooperation with MARIN, based in the Netherlands, and Polish ship designer MMC. The results obtained demonstrated much-improved position accuracy and enhanced operability of the vessel.Further calculations made by DNV and simulations from a cooperation with VARD showed that the SRP-D greatly improves the vessel’s operational performance and environmental impact…