New Cat Engines Offer Fuel Savings, Low Emissions for OSVs
A new Caterpillar engine-powered diesel electric propulsion system is being touted as delivering fuel savings between 30 and 50 percent. This new system has been recently installed on two new OSVs: Olympic Princess, built by Brattvaag Skipsverft AS in Norway; and Stril Supplier, built by YVC Ysselwarf in Rotterdam.
Olympic Princess, built for Norwegian shipping specialist Olympic Shipping, measures 274.6 by 64.6 ft. The 4,158 dwt OSV features four Caterpillar 3516B 69 liter V16 cylinder turbocharged and aftercooled engines, each rated at 2,585 hp @ 1,800 rpm. The vessel is designed to transport equipment, cargo pipes, cement, liquid which offer up to 13 percent more power and a seven percent improvement in power-to-weight ratios and a seven percent improvement in fuel economy. The units are found onboard the latest OSV to go into the Simon Wtekster Shipping AS fleet, Stril Power.
mud, fuel oil, brine, freshwater and base oil to, from and between offshore platforms and installations, as well as using its large accommodation (50 persons) and dual dynamic positioning system to perform different operations, including ROVs (Remote Operated Vehicles) for oil exploration and other sea bed work. Currently, the vessel is carrying out ROV work for Subsea. In this mode, early indications are fuel savings will be achieved between 30 and 50 percent, according to Bjorn Kvaulsund, manager. "The four engine diesel electric system allows us to achieve maximum efficiency by matching the power requirement we have, to the configuration of the diesel electric system." Power is supplied through four Siemens 1FC2564, 2110 kVA main generators and two Siemens 1LL1567- 6ZZ90-Z, 2,200kW propulsion motors, with two Aquamaster CRP 15 contrarotating propellers, an Aquamaster UL1201 rotatable 883 kW thruster and a Kamewa TT 2200, 883 kW thruster. A Caterpillar 3406T 270 kW engine with Siemens 1FC8 460 kVA generator set provides emergency back-up and harbor power onboard.
Stril Supplier was built for Simon M0kster Shipping AS of Stavanger, Norway. The 273 x 64.6 ft. (83 x 19.6 m) vessel is the newest addition to the company's fleet of 24 ships, which includes two 95-passenger fast ferry catamarans, two dry cargo carriers operating in the North Sea region, and 20 offshore safety, rescue, supply and support vessels.
The fleet includes two of the first multipurpose newbuild vessels, built exclusively for FPSO support (Stril Power and Stril Borg, both with twin Cat 3616 main engine packages). The Cat engines deliver power via Siemens generators to two duo-prop Aquamaster Azimuth main prop thrusters at the stern, a single prop Aquamaster azimuth thruster forward and a single Kamewa tunnel type bowthruster.
