THE GLOBAL MAGAZINE FOR MARINE CUSTOMERS

I N S I D E M A R I N E N E W S A N D D E V E L O P M E N T S / T E C H N O L O G Y / U P D AT E S / C U S T O M E R S U P P O R T

ISSUE 24 2015

MERCY MISSION

HOW ROLLS-ROYCE SUPPORTS MEDICAL

SHIPS IN AFRICA

PERMANENT MAGNET TECHNOLOGY FOR BETTER THRUSTER PERFORMANCE

THE PERFECT

MATCH

E&P_

Rig_

1_1_

0320

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Deck machinerycustomised to

offshore applications

Generating setsfrom 1843 to 7760 kWel

Underwatermountable/demountable

azimuth thrusters

rolls-royce.com

Solutions for power,propulsion and positioningRolls-Royce is widely recognised for its products and system solutions for a broad range of offshore applications like drillships, drilling rigs and accommodation rigs. Systems comprise underwater mountable/demountable thrusters, dynamic positioning systems, anchor and mooring winches, fairleads and generating sets. Our products and solutions meet the challenging combination of high performance and flexibility, reduced fuel c onsumption and optimised life-cycle costs.

Trusted to deliver excellence

W E LC O M E

MIKAEL MÄKINEN, PRESIDENT – MARINE, ROLLS-ROYCE

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COVER: Rolls-Royce will feature permanent magnet technology at Nor-Shipping in June.

propulsion packages, rather than bespoke systems selected around an owner’s preference. Standard packages won’t suit all, but in terms of driving down cost, simplifying fleets and monitoring performance through life, there are clear benefits in off-the-shelf solutions. While the hull lines will always reflect the creativity of a naval architect, what lies beneath could indeed become more of a standard and scalable offering, giving proven reliability and measurable efficiencies.

A key part of any vessel is of course the propulsion system, and the efficiency of the propulsors can make a real difference to the bottom line. One example is with the azimuth thruster. Today it is a workhorse of the shipping world, providing power and manoeuvrability. Turn the clock back 50 years and it was an innovative but small piece of technology.

In the 50 years since Rolls-Royce delivered the first azimuth thrusters, we have led their development

Efficient operation is fundamental to the success of any business, and for those in shipping, efficiency is the key when planning the future. Getting the most out of your assets, and doing so throughout the life of a vessel, remains a key objective for our customers and we’re seeing growing interest in the need to guarantee performance levels.

At Rolls-Royce we focus on the efficiency of our products, taking a long-term view to ensure they live up to our promises not only when they leave our factories, but after many years in service.

We’re seeing a growing trend in customers demanding performance through life, not only from individual products but also from integrated systems, designed to match vessel operating requirements.

In this issue, we take a look at a new range of propulsion systems we’ve designed for an emerging market of ‘adventure’ cruise ships. We think the future of shipbuilding will in time shift towards standard

through many stages to today’s wide range, suited to numerous ship types. Our latest designs share that innovative pedigree and build on five decades of research and operating experience. So, to coincide with Nor-Shipping in June (also in its 50th year), we will unveil a new permanent magnet azimuth thruster. This new design combines advanced hydrodynamics with our latest permanent magnet technology, and we think this will be the future direction of marine propulsion.

We have continued to develop In-depth and we would like to hear your views, about both our print and digital editions for iPad and Android. Your reviews are important to us, so if you can find time to complete our survey it would be much appreciated.

For those of you going to Nor-Shipping, I look forward to seeing you there. An event like this gives us all an opportunity to take in what’s new and perhaps catch a clearer view of the future.

Rolls-Royce continues to focus on innovation based on its depth of experience, drawing on half a century of heritage to unveil a completely new permanent magnet azimuth thruster

EFFICIENCY DRIVES FUTURE SUCCESS

THE GLOBAL MAGAZINE FOR MARINE CUSTOMERS

I N S I D E M A R I N E N E W S A N D D E V E L O P M E N T S / T E C H N O L O G Y / U P D AT E S / C U S T O M E R S U P P O R T

ISSUE 24 2015

MERCY MISSION

HOW ROLLS-ROYCE SUPPORTS MEDICAL

SHIPS IN AFRICA

PERMANENT MAGNET TECHNOLOGY FOR BETTER THRUSTER PERFORMANCE

THE PERFECT

MATCH

Solutions for power,propulsion and positioning

03 WELCOMERolls-Royce is able to draw on its heritage to drive future success, says Mikael Mäkinen, President – Marine

06 NEWS ROUND UPThe latest developments from the world of Rolls-Royce

INTERVIEW08 CULTURE OF INNOVATIONSenior Vice President, Technology Management and Innovation, Sauli Eloranta, tells In-depth about the dedication to developing innovative technology for now and the future

TECHNOLOGY10 TESTING TIMEThe research ship Gunnerus is the ideal vessel to analyse the application of permanent magnet motor technology on azimuth thruster development

14 INTELLIGENCE AND THE BRIDGEIn-depth looks at what the future holds for intelligent bridge design following the introduction of the Unified Bridge

18 TAKE YOUR PICKThe Rolls-Royce Blue Ocean team has developed a range of options to help

cruise vessel operators select the right propulsion system to suit their needs

CUSTOMER FOCUS20 HELPING HANDSLast year, Rolls-Royce officially become a supporter of Mercy Ships, an international charity with the mission to increase global access to healthcare through a fleet of hospital ships

UPDATES24 50 YEARS OF AZIMUTH THRUSTERS In May, Rolls-Royce can look back on 50

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C O N T E N T S

NEWS AND FEATURES

ISSUE 24 2015

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Opinions expressed may not necessarily represent the views of Rolls-Royce or the editorial team. The publishers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. All photographs © Rolls-Royce plc unless otherwise stated. In which case copyright owned by photographer/organisation.

EDITOR: Andrew Rice

DESIGNED AND PRODUCED BY: Connect Publications Ltd

CONTRIBUTORS: RW – Richard White; AR – Andrew Rice; PW - Patrik Wheater

If your details have changed or if you wish to receive a regular complimentary copy of In-depth please email us at: in.depth@rolls-royce.com

Printed in the UK.

© Rolls-Royce plc 2015

The information in this document is the property of Rolls-Royce plc and may not be copied, communicated to a third party, or used for any purpose other than that for which it is supplied, without the express written consent of Rolls-Royce plc.

While the information is given in good faith, based upon the latest information available to Rolls-Royce plc, no warranty or representation is given concerning such information, which must not be taken as establishing any contractual or other commitment binding upon Rolls-Royce plc or any of its subsidiary or associated companies.

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GET IN TOUCHOur offices and sector contacts, as well as key websites and portals, are listed on the inside back cover

NEWS AND FEATURES ABOUT years of azimuth thruster innovation. In both design and performance, the technology has come a long way

28 GOLD DIGGERRolls-Royce propulsion equipment is set to power an innovative seabed mining ship, opening up a new market for the shipping industry

30 THE BALANCING ACTRolls-Royce designers deal with vastly differing needs when it comes to propeller design. Decades of experience studying hydrodynamic and cavitation efficiency are critical in meeting each customer’s requirement

32 A STAR IS BORNWhen cruise operator Viking Oceans and

Fincantieri were looking for efficiency, low noise and manoeuvrability for three new cruise ships they turned to Rolls-Royce technology

CUSTOMER SUPPORT34 KEEP ON EARNINGIn response to the need to reduce downtime, Rolls-Royce now offers a full turnkey support package for UUC azimuth thrusters to minimise operational disruption

38 TO THE MAXA dedicated Rolls-Royce facility to test the gas turbines on the Royal Navy’s Type 45 fleet will support the destroyers’ demanding schedules

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N E W S

Award for Unified BridgeThe Unified Bridge from Rolls-Royce has won the Norwegian Design Council 2015 award for design excellence.

The awarding jury said: “In a conservative business with many class regulations, it is a challenging task to develop innovative solutions for user interfaces. This solution appears significantly better than competing solutions, and the quality of the interaction design is high. The user interface is based on modern navigational principles. The work surfaces are layered, which enable navigation on one surface, and with the touchscreen reduces cognitive load for operators.”

Baleària moves to LNGRolls-Royce has signed a collaboration agreement with Spanish energy company Gas Natural Fenosa to develop and install a pure-gas Bergen engine aboard the Baleària-operated ferry Abel Matutes.

This is the first reference for a pure-gas engine installation on a European-flagged ferry operating outside of Norwegian waters.

The 29,670 tonne ropax ferry, delivered in 2010, will use an LNG-fuelled Bergen C26:33

L6 AG auxiliary engine to generate 1,560kWe of clean power, dramatically reducing emissions during port stays in Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca.

Baleària is Spain’s leading shipping company, with a fleet of 20 vessels operating between the Iberian peninsula, the Balearic Islands, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Bahamas, and is committed to developing LNG as a marine fuel.

Baleària Group President Adolfo Utor said: “This is a very important milestone that will enable us to be pioneers in the use of natural gas on ferries and, at the same time, be more sustainable. Besides reducing CO

2 emissions

by 40 per cent, it also enables us to reduce fuel costs. Abel Matutes may well find herself deployed on a route in an Emissions Control Area (ECA) sometime in the future.”

Baleària and Rolls-Royce aim to carry out pre-installation work in early 2015, prior to the vessel’s scheduled dry docking later

in the year. The new engine will be fully integrated into the electricity plant on the vessel, enabling operation with any of the on-board auxiliaries. Testing and implementation work is expected to take place towards the end of next year.

When Abel Matutes is in port, the gas engine will be connected to the distribution infrastructure ashore or the onboard LNG tank.

Maersk first for new anchor recovery frame

Maersk Supply Service has exercised an option to add new anchor recovery frames (ARFs) to the supply contract awarded in December for deck machinery for six high-end anchorhandlers under construction at Norway’s Kleven Verft AS.

The contract marks the first reference for the next generation ARF, designed in cooperation with Maersk to optimise vessel safety and efficiency.

Runar Hjelle, Area Sales Manager, said: “The new system is designed to reduce the loads generated when anchors are lifted from sea to deck, and lowered from the deck into the sea.

“When not in use, this innovative recovery frame is stowed in a deck recess protected by a mechanically operated hatch cover,

providing a much safer working deck environment for ships’ crews. It makes for a more efficient operation.”

Unlike existing anchorhandling frames, which have a 90 degree operating angle, the new ARF can be operated at 126° to the deck by two hydraulic cylinders and a free-rotating roller.

Capable of operation in temperatures ranging from -20 to -45 degrees Celsius, the recovery system has a nominal towline tension capacity of 200 tonnes with a lateral force of 50 tonnes.

In addition to the six ARFs, the scope of supply also includes Rolls-Royce rudders and steering gear.

Rolls-Royce will deliver the ARFs from February 2016.

DigitalTo see more of the Rolls-Royce Unified Bridge

in action, download the digital edition of In-depth from

iTunes or Googleplay

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Rolls-Royce is to supply MTU high-speed engines and a suite of waterjet propulsion systems for 17 fast patrol vessels now under construction at Turkey’s ARES Shipyard for the Qatar Coastguard.

This order comprises systems for three different vessel sizes that will be built from advanced composites: five 24m vessels capable of speeds in excess of 37 knots, 10 of 34m capable of achieving 30 knots and two of 47m also capable of 30 knots.

MTU 12V2000M84 diesel engines and Kamewa 50A3 series waterjets will power the 24m ARES 75 Hercules patrol boats and the 34m ARES 110 Hercules design.

The two largest craft, the 47-metre ARES 150 Hercules design, will each feature three MTU Series 4000 diesels driving twin Kamewa 71S4 waterjets and a central booster.

Don Roussinos, President Naval, said: “The ARES Hercules series patrol boats will be the

first Qatar Coastguard craft to be propelled by Rolls-Royce Kamewa waterjets, so we’re delighted to welcome them as our latest customer. This is not the first project we have worked on with ARES Shipyard, but it is the largest and most important.”

For optimum fuel economy at high-speeds, the combination of Rolls-Royce MTU diesels and Kamewa waterjets are major contributors to the enhanced efficiency and performance of these highly capable craft. In particular, our Kamewa A3 waterjets offers high performance up to speeds of around 45 knots.

BMT Nigel Gee was the chosen designer for the project and is responsible for the naval architecture, including hull development, class level design and engineering work on all three sizes of vessel. Rolls-Royce provided technical support throughout the design phase. BMT’s team of naval architects and engineers has worked closely with ARES to

develop the designs for the vessels, which meet the customer’s stringent performance and comfort requirements.

Kerim Kalafatoglu, ARES Shipyard Chairman and Executive Director, said: “Our partnerships with suppliers such as Rolls-Royce are testament to our commitment to deliver quality vessels at the leading edge of design and innovation. This contract for 17 craft for the Qatar Coastguard is one of the most significant for fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) patrol boats ever signed.”

Rolls-Royce will supply a total of 46 MTU engines and waterjets across the three different sizes of craft. The first vessel is scheduled for sea trials early in 2016.

2015Marine EventsRolls-Royce and MTU will be attending these events. For further information, contact: Donna WightmanGlobal Event Manager donna.wightman@rolls-royce.com

April14-17 LAAD, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil21-23 Sea Asia, Singapore

May4-7 OTC, Houston, USA5-8 IDEF, Istanbul, Turkey19-21 IMDEX Asia, Singapore

June2-5 Norshipping, Oslo, Norway3-5 UDT, Rotterdam, Netherlands9-11 Seawork, Southampton, UK23-26 Brazil Offshore, Rio de Janerio

Sept1-4, MSPO Expo, Kielce,

Poland

15-18 DSEI,

London, UK

Oct6-8 Pacific 2015,

Sydney, Australia

7-9 Danfish, Aalborg,

Denmark

18-23 SEG, New

Orleans, USA

20-23 Kormarine,

Busan, Korea

Nov3-6 Europort,

Rotterdam,

Netherlands

Dec1-4 Marintec,

Shanghai, China

3-5 Work Boat Show,

New Orleans, USA

MTU diesels and Kamewa waterjets to power Qatar Coastguard vessels

INSET: Rolls-Royce will supply MTU high-speed engines and a suite of Kamewa waterjet propulsion systems for the Qatar Coastguard.

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I N T E R V I E W

Sauli Eloranta leads the technology and innovation activities at Rolls-Royce Marine. In-depth editor

Andrew Rice found out about his views on marine technology today and where it is heading in the future.

AR: You came to this role from the shipbuilding sector. What experiences have helped shape your thinking and priorities?SE: Having worked in senior R&D and engineering positions in yards that include Kvaerner, Aker Yards and STX in Finland, plus yards in the US and France, each has its own approach and identity.

They are experienced, agile and innovative but have individual strengths.

Finnish yards can be lean and pragmatic and French yards have an excellent focus on the detail. In the US, the yard in Philadelphia was down to earth, and I had the task of reintroducing commercial shipbuilding after a long absence, invaluable experience that has when planning new product introductions.

As the engineering director, I met many customers and those insights continue to guide me. Understanding different cultural and business needs is important as we work with most of the world’s shipyards.

Our objective is to propose the most suitable solution for each customer. The marine market may

seem wide and sporadic, but that is not the individual customer view. They know our products even better than we do because they live with them onboard, for the life of the vessel.

If there is one thing I have learned during my career it’s that ‘business rules’. My priority is to ensure the engineering and technology function provides the services and products our customers need, and will add value to their operations.

AR: What do you consider to be the most exciting change in marine technology recently?SE: When I joined in 2010, I was amazed at how Rolls-Royce had delivered ‘standard’ UT design vessels to the distinct and different sectors of the offshore

INNOVATIONAs Senior Vice President, Technology Management and Innovation, Sauli Eloranta is not only dedicated to ensuring the right technology is being developed for customers today. He is equally focused on the innovations they might not yet have imagined

market. The 800 or so UT design vessels built to date prove that ship design is an enabler, and reduces the risk for the customer. It shows the importance of the right equipment fit to ensure the vessel meets the needs of the customer. Being able to design the ship and the equipment that powers it has been an exciting evolution, in the quest for efficiency gains, to drive down operating costs.

The biggest change has been in the industry’s developments in simulation to revolutionise maritime crew training and improve safety. Virtually all activities carried out onboard can now be undertaken safely from simulators. This rapid advance in computing power has spawned a variety of other product advances and provided us with the big data we are now harnessing to improve vessel performance.

Then there is the technology introduced to meet international emission and environmental regulations. The first vessels soley powered by LNG only began arriving 15 years ago, but today they are into triple figures and growing, as

the bunkering infrastructure develops.

“Good and innovative engineering and therefore a well-motivated engineering community is vital to our future success. The enemy is playing it safe.”

SAULI ELORANTA

A culture of

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energy or make ship operations safer. Electrical products for marine applications have taken time to come to market, but not at the expense of reliability. The trend is for offerings related to ship intelligence, so that is key to R&D spend.

AR: What do you see as the key marine technology drivers?SE: The market focus is shifting from just specifying marine equipment hardware to hardware that comes with the appropriate software to maximise its reliability and minimise maintenance. Value adding data services such as equipment health monitoring will be the new norm. And this information will be available onboard and at onshore control centres. As ships become more intelligent, crews are likely to become smaller, but better trained. As communication channels become more readily available, certain tasks will be moved onshore.

AR: What is the most challenging part of your job?SE: I view myself as a pragmatist. When decisions have been made, getting things actioned quickly is important but challenging with multiple stakeholders. We have some of the best assets of any marine business, so identifying the right technologies to invest in is not always straightforward.

Getting the best out of engineering teams, ensuring they have clear accountabilities and are aligned is a key part of my role and not always easy. Finally, finding the right balance of listening and action to make the right business decision.

AR: When not working, what do you do to unwind?SE: Home for me is in the Finnish countryside. Our summer house, or rather a winter house in Finland, requires constant attention, so I can often be found doing improvement projects in the dark with a headlamp. Our four children have grown up but my wife and I still get together with them frequently. I also enjoy swimming, no matter the time of year. It’s surprising how invigorating it is, but I am a Finn! AR

“A GOOD LEADER CAN DRIVE OUT AMBIGUITY, MAINTAINING THE EDGE IN DESIGN AND IN SELECTING FEATURES TO BE PART OF THE FINAL DESIGN”

AR: How do you address the challenge of creating an environment where innovation can flourish, but not at the expense of reliability and safety?SE: Good and innovative engineering and a well-motivated engineering community are vital to our success. The enemy is playing it safe. An innovative culture needs nurturing in the form of constructive challenging, encouragement, empowerment and leadership, where a level of freedom exists.

Many innovations happen behind the scenes by like-minded individuals getting together. This often starts by listening to our customers’ issues, then devising a solution.

Innovation is difficult to drive out by monthly meetings and it is difficult to dictate the pace. I favour initiatives that stimulate innovation and small teams with an experienced leader to act as coach and judge. A

good leader can drive out ambiguity, maintain the edge in design and select features for the final design.

AR: In your customer meetings, do you find there are areas where technology is lagging behind their needs?SE: Customers want proven, efficient, reliable and affordable solutions, and different sectors have different value drivers. Drillship operators with high daily rates demand reliability to avoid disruptions, whereas cargo carriers need ship and propulsion efficiency.

To handle subsea systems from vessels and not rigs is now an option using fibre rope systems. It has taken a while to gain acceptance, but the gap has now been filled with the technology similar to lifts in high-rise buildings to replace steel wire rope.

Customers can identify gaps where technology can be applied to either improve performance, save

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Azimuth thrusters are now being tested with permanent magnet (PM) motor applications, following the installation of two PM azimuth thrusters on the research ship Gunnerus. Testing will continue through 2015.

Gunnerus is 31.25m long, was designed by Polarconsult and

delivered by the Larsnes Mek. Verksted shipyard in Norway in 2006. It is owned and operated by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), based in Trondheim, and equipped to carry out research in the fields of biology, technology, geology, archeology, oceanography and fisheries, and so supports many of the courses offered by NTNU. When the ship was conceived the aim was that it should not only be a platform for scientific research, but also a tool for the development of innovative marine technology. This secondary role is the one Gunnerus will now undertake, a key part of the thruster development work.

The research ship Gunnerus is the ideal vessel to analyse the application of permanent magnet motor technology on azimuth thruster development

As built, the ship has diesel electric propulsion in a traditional twin screw arrangement. For the new thruster fit, Moen Marin won the contract for the conversion work, with Polarconsult designing the hull modfications to accept the azimuth thruster mountings and feed the propulsion forces into the structure.

The original high-speed diesel generator sets are retained, and have been fitted with extremely

flexible mountings to stop any structural-borne noise potentially affecting research results. As part of the conversion work the propellers, shaftlines, rudders and steering gear have been removed, and the sterntubes plugged, but the skeg remains in place.

These technology demonstrator PM azimuth thrusters will have a rating of 500kW to match the test vessel’s available power, but the

propeller diameter is generous for the loading, which means a thruster with the same diameter propeller can handle up to 1,000kW.

Each thruster comprises three main assemblies – the PM motor/propeller/nozzle underwater unit, the hull mounting system, which includes the azimuth bearing

TIMETesting

DigitalWatch the

permanent magnet azimuth thruster on spin test in our digital edition of

In-depth, available free on iTunes and

Googleplay

T E C H N O LO G Y

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and duplicate frequency controlled electric steering gear, and the inboard power unit which feeds electric power to the thruster.

The PM motor is built into the nozzle and the propeller has an advanced forward skew blade design. Nozzle shape can be selected to suit individual applications, but since Gunnerus requires pull for towing trawls and other gear, the nozzle is optimised for bollard pull and speed to match the vessel’s requirements. The installation is compact, with only the slip ring unit and the variable frequency steering motors inside the hull. In other respects the azimuth thruster uses the same technology as the PM tunnel thrusters.

Under a multi-partner agreement, Rolls-Royce is the lead partner, with NTNU as shipowner and operator. The project has been awarded funding from MAROFF, the marine arm of Forskningsrådet – the Research Council of Norway. Other partners are Marintek, DNV, Olympic Shipping and the Technical University in Ålesund. Through its UTC (University Technology Centre) programme, Rolls-Royce already has a longstanding relationship with Marintek and NTNU on marine propulsion and hydrodynamics research, while Olympic Shipping has for several years been linked to the PM tunnel thruster development work through its vessel Olympic Octopus.

“The vessel and thrusters are an ideal match,” says Gunnar Johnsen, Head of Electrical Systems Research

TOP AND LEFT: Two PM azimuth thrusters conservatively rated at 500kW have been fitted to the research vessel Gunnerus.

FAR LEFT: CFD has been used extensively in the development of the new PM azimuth thruster.

& Technology. “Because of the research work Gunnerus does, it is well equipped to do many jobs that will benefit from the added manoeuvrability the azimuth thrusters will confer, and it is also designed to be quiet.

“A dynamic positioning (DP) system and High Precision Acoustic Positioning (HiPAP) reference system allows Gunnerus to be accurately positioned for deploying research equipment.

“The machinery is also arranged so that the minimum of noise is radiated into the water, which should allow us to get a very clear picture of all aspects of thruster performance.” RW

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T E C H N O LO G Y

Both azimuth and tunnel thruster designs are based on the rim drive principle where the motor surrounds the propeller as a slim ring. A stator carries the electromagnetic windings fed by a frequency converter that creates a rotating magnetic field. The

rotor is integral with the propeller and carries a series of permanent magnets. As the magnetic fields interact, the propeller turns. This forms a compact and efficient unit easy to install in a tunnel. Power output is also increased by around 25 per cent from the same propeller size.

“In a traditional tunnel thruster the propeller blades’ tips run close to the tunnel wall, but even so there are tip losses,” says Göran Grunditz, Manager of the Hydrodynamic Research Centre. “With the PM thruster, the blades go into the ring and rotate together, reducing cavitation. The loading of the blades is reduced because of the design of the housing.”

A long and intensive development process has led to the production tunnel thruster, currently built in two sizes PMTT1600 (1,000kW) and PMTT2000 (1,600kW) and engineered for ease of installation or exchange either in dock or underwater.

An efficiency of 97.5 per cent and low noise levels were quickly demonstrated, and much of the development work has gone into proving durability, particularly in the most demanding service; vessels that spend much of their lives in dynamic positioning (DP) mode with its constantly changing demands for thrust level and direction. Severe ice testing has also been carried out.

Efficiency is high as no current is used for rotor excitation, and the level is maintained over the entire speed range, also helped by the absence of gear losses.

Rolls-Royce research has demonstrated that for hydrodynamic reasons it is good to have a hub, rather than inward pointing sword blades. The hub in production units also carries the rotor bearings, and forces are transferred to the static ring of the thruster by stays

that also shape water flow to and from the propeller.Installation of these PM tunnel thrusters is made easy

for the shipyard. With the steel tunnel integrated in the hull, the thruster can be fitted at a later stage to suit the yard schedule. A jig is used to position the flexible mounts, and then the complete thruster is slid into the tunnel and bolted in place. The only items in the thruster room are the terminal box and cable connections to the variable frequency power supply.

Low noiseA fully instrumented PM tunnel thruster is installed on the anchorhandler Olympic Octopus. In noise measurement a 5dB reduction is perceived by the human ear as a halving of the noise level. On Octopus airborne noise is cut by 4-8dB compared to a standard geared thruster with electric motor in the thruster room, structure borne noise is reduced by 6-12dB, while the noise to sea is 5-6dB less. The thruster is also valued on board for its rapid response to changing loads.

Deck machineryPM motors developed by Rolls-Royce are now being applied to deck machinery. The electrical principles are the same, with speed regulated by altering the frequency of the electric power supply. But the configuration chosen for powering winches is different. While a thruster has a large diameter, rather thin and narrow motor driving the propeller on its periphery, the deck machinery motor has

PM TECHNOLOGY GAINS ACCEPTANCETunnel thrusters with Rolls-Royce permanent magnet (PM) motor technology are producing excellent results for a range of operators, with orders for offshore construction vessels, pipelayers and a cruise ship

ABOVE: These two pictures

illustrate the significant space

savings delivered by PM technology.

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Norwegian Epic first cruise ship to benefit from PM thruster technology To help improve passenger comfort on board, Norwegian Cruise Line has selected a Rolls-Royce PM tunnel thruster to upgrade the propulsion package onboard the 155,873gt Norwegian Epic, which can accommodate up to 4,100 guests.

The PM tunnel thruster technology offers numerous advantages over traditional tunnel thrusters, including significant reduction in noise and vibration, an increase in power output of around 25 per cent from the same size propeller, and is removable underwater, eliminating the need for dry docking.

Jay McFadyen, Senior Vice President–Marine Services, Americas, says: “We are delighted that Norwegian Cruise Line is the first cruise customer to select our new PM tunnel thruster as an upgrade to an existing propulsion package. This innovative technology is suitable for a range of applications in both merchant and offshore vessels, where exceptionally low noise levels, high power output and rapid response to power demand will benefit operators, crew and, very importantly, passengers.

“What we have seen so far through the experience of our first PM tunnel thruster in operation on the Rolls-Royce designed Olympic Octopus is that a PM motor thruster is quiet, efficient and durable. It is capable of running for thousands of hours in intensive DP mode, where rapidly varying loads and alternating thrust directions are the norm.”

Other benefits of PM technology include the freeing up of space directly above the thruster where traditional tunnel thruster motors are located, and a symmetrical design that gives equal thrust to port or starboard. Models are currently available with 1,600mm and 2,000mm diameters.

a smaller diameter and is longer for a given power to suit the speed requirements. It drives the winch by a central shaft and high torque allows a small gear ratio, improving the dynamic response of the winch.

The characteristics of these PM motors are particularly suited to applications that combine a need for high torque at low speed, sensitive control and rapid changes in pull and speed.

Anchorhandling/towing winches for offshore vessels, escort winches for tugs, and trawl winches for fishing vessels are typical applications. Low pressure hydraulic winches from Rolls-Royce have for many years been market leaders when it comes to delivering this type of performance, and the new PM drive system will do the same for owners preferring an electric solution.

For AHT winches, owners will be able to choose the Rolls-Royce drive system that best suits their preference and operating modes. The four systems are the standard LP hydraulic; LP hydraulic with the new E26 computer controlled valve system for extra sensitive control; a hybrid system in which the average loads are covered by variable frequency asynchronous electric motor with a supplementary hydraulic drive that handles quickly changing loads; and the new PM electric drive.

PM motors have undergone extensive factory development testing, independent verification of IP standard of waterproofing and now Class approval.

The first installation in commercial service will be a trawl winch on a fishing vessel currently under construction for Prestfjord. RW

BELOW: PM tunnel thrusters are currently available in two sizes. Those in service have reduced airborne noise by 4-8dB compared with a standard geared unit.

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T E C H N O LO G Y

Intelligence and THE BRIDGERolls-Royce is at the forefront of bridge design, demonstrated by the Unified Bridge concept that went into service last year on the Stril Luna. But what does the future hold? Andrew Rice reports on the latest developments in intelligent bridge design

ABOVE: The oX Bridge concept not only provides the crew with smart workstations, but also uses augmented reality to provide much more detail of the vessel’s surroundings and potential hazards than visible to the human eye.

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Three years in development, the Unified Bridge was first fitted to the UT 776 WP Stril Luna, owned by Simon Møkster Shipping, which entered service during 2014. It presents a physical working environment adapted to a person’s natural movements, a

new ergonomic approach to all the activity required on the bridge of a vessel. Watchkeepers are provided with a functional and easy-to-use human/machine interface with well-placed control levers and touchscreens to control systems that display their status in the most logical way.

The Unified Bridge has already been ordered for a number of other UT vessels scheduled for delivery during 2015-16 and is a striking example of the role good design

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plays in harnessing technology to improve operator performance, simplicity and safety.

Rolls-Royce, working with the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Aalto University of Finland, is now setting out a vision for a future ‘intelligent bridge’ that could be a reality by 2025. It is known as the Future Operator Experience Concept, or oX. It offers the crew smart workstations, which automatically recognise individuals when they walk on to the bridge, and adjusts to their own preferences.

Enhanced ergonomicsIt not only provides the crew with smart workstations, but also augmented reality bridge window displays that provide much more detail of the vessel’s surroundings and potential hazards than normally visible to the eye. The system can, for example, identify sea ice, tugs and other vessels that may not be visible to the crew, especially if they are on the bridge of a large container ship.

The oX concept is a response to the increasing complexity of equipment now being fitted to ships. As crew levels reduce and automation levels increase, there is a need for smarter interfaces to help them.

It is just one example of ship intelligence.“The need is for intelligent systems that can run

themselves, with the crew becoming supervisors, concentrating on managing the exceptions when they arise,” says Iiro Lindborg, Development Project Manager for the oX concept.

“The supervisory role provides the necessary input of human experience machines just don’t have. The technologies that enable experts on land to be inserted into problems onboard already exist, so developing technologies such as augmented reality are likely to play a bigger role.”

T E C H N O LO G Y

›› ABOVE: The Rolls-Royce Unified Bridge that went into service during 2014 on the offshore vessel Stril Luna.

ABOVE RIGHT: Iiro Lindborg, Development Project Manager for the oX concept.

“THE NEED IS FOR INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS THAT CAN RUN THEMSELVES, WITH THE CREW BECOMING SUPERVISORS”

17

A notable focus is applicability to unmanned vessels, which is where the industry could be headed if technical, legal and cultural challenges can be overcome, with proven safeguards for communication channels.

Today, most onboard equipment and sub systems function in isolation. Rolls-Royce is planning to take the lead in changing that. Ships are becoming much more complex. There are already ECDIS and dynamic positioning, health monitoring and decision support systems. Operating the ship can be aided by automated reporting.

What these technologies have in common is that they automate tasks previously done manually, a trend that is set to continue as availability of competent crew declines. Finding new and improved ways of doing things is vital for continued safe operation and ultimately profitability.

Intelligent ship systems will help make sense of the vast amount of information coming from multiple sources. They will be capable of determining what information is important and requires action and what is just routine data, which can be stored and used to build a detailed picture of the vessel’s operating profile.

Harnessing dataThe Marine Services team, headed by Andy Marsh, President, undertakes the task of transforming this data from different sources into commercially viable systems.

“We already collect a lot of data onboard – the trick is pulling it together to extrapolate trends,” says Andy. “Detecting unusual stresses in thrusters is useful, but combining it with sea-state and other environmental

parameters gives us a lot more insight into what brought them about. We have deployed data logging on a variety of vessels, but most experience has been with high value offshore vessels. On one anchorhandler, we are logging some 15 gigabytes of data each day.

“This approach reflects the way Rolls-Royce operates in the aerospace sector, where some 13,000 gas turbines are operating, with nearly 75 per cent covered by long-term service arrangements. We have moved engine maintenance from the operator back to the manufacturer, so there is a lot of real-time monitoring going on. So we have a clear view of how the engines are operating and any decisions regarding managing operational issues or maintenance can be made very quickly.”

In both aviation and marine, this data can be used as input for R&D activities. The performance of new products can be evaluated in the field, and it can be used in the vessel design process to optimise propulsion system configurations, based on actual operational experience. For the marine sector, Rolls-Royce is undertaking research in developing sensors for harsh environments which can communicate across watertight boundaries.

“We are entering a truly exciting period in the history of shipping, where technology and in particular the smart use of Big Data is going to drive the next generation of ships,” adds Iiro Lindborg. ”Over the next ten to 20 years we believe ship intelligence is going to be the driving force that will determine the future of the industry, the types of ships at sea, and the competence levels required of tomorrow’s crew.” AR

DigitalTo get a better view

of the bridge, watch the video on our digital edition by downloading the In-depth app

from iTunes or Google play

ABOVE: Rolls-Royce, working with the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Aalto University in Finland, is setting out a vision for a future intelligent bridge that could be a reality by 2025.

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T E C H N O LO G Y

TAKE YOUR PICK

One of the goals of the Blue Ocean team is to design propulsion systems that are matched to individual

vessel profiles, and give customers clear options so they can select the right system to suit their needs.

As system designers will tell you, there are many trade-offs in arriving at the optimum propulsion system solution. What is the priority for the customer? Is it performance, reliability, first cost, fuel consumption or through life costs, and what is the expected life of the vessel? These and many other factors impact on the investment decision and the value it represents.

“Designing systems that are matched to the vessel and its design intent is something we have been doing in the offshore sector for over

40 years,” says Oskar Levander, VP Innovation Engineering & Technology.

“As we have such a wide range of power and propulsion products, we can package them into systems that accommodate most customer preferences for vessels of this size, which can be tailored to exact requirements. We will provide the equipment and machinery layout for the bottom two decks. These systems can then be inserted onto the selected ship design to speed up the design process. This leaves the interior and naval architects free to concentrate on the look and feel of the passenger areas in the ship.”

The systems are designed to suit vessels from 5,000 to 20,000gt, with between 200-300 passengers, so powers ranging from 4-11MW have been selected to cover propulsion

and hotel loads. This provides service speeds of up to 21 knots and maximum endurance at 16 knots. In each case, power is provided by Bergen or MTU engines, or a mix of the medium-speed and high-speed engines driving Rolls-Royce thrusters or propellers.

Four propulsion optionsAfter completing ten system trade-off studies based on the requirements for known adventure cruise routes in both the northern and southern hemispheres , four systems capable of being efficiently integrated into any suitable cruise ship platform were selected.

“The concept introduces the idea of transferable technical spaces into any architecture,” says Esa Jokioinen, Head of the Blue Ocean team. “These systems are capable of meeting most user requirements, whether the priority is a low initial procurement cost or a system that delivers the lowest through life costs. In combination with a low resistance hull form, they offer good fuel efficiency and effective manoeuvring, with the choice depending on the type of cruise itinerary and the operator’s preference.”

The Balanced System: Twin Promas with CP propellers and hybrid shaft generator PTI/PTO This is reliable, efficient, conservative and offers relatively low first costs. Main propulsion is provided by two 2,665kW Bergen C25:33 L8P engines each driving a CP Promas system through a reduction gear with hybrid shaft generator (HSG), so the main engines can be used to provide electrical power. Two 1,560kW MTU 12V4000

Selecting the right propulsion system for a cruise vessel means balancing of performance, purchase price and through life costs. The Rolls-Royce Blue Ocean team has developed a range of options to make selection simpler, leaving operators free to concentrate on their ship design and passenger experience

M33S generator sets supply the switchboard. This configuration allows the selection of mechanical, electric or hybrid modes for optimal performance in all operating conditions.

The Compact System: Twin Azipull with full electric propulsion This is installation friendly with a small footprint and low weight. It also has the lowest capital cost of the four systems. Power is provided by four 2,080kW MTU 16V 4000 M33S gensets for a total installed power of 8.4MW. As the generators are small and there are no long propeller shaftlines, there is significant flexibility in where they can be sited. This also frees up valuable space for other purposes, giving the designer more options. The 2,458kW Azipull units provide the necessary steering and manoeuvring control so no rudder is required.

The Lifecycle System: Centre line propeller with wing thrusters This delivers the lowest ownership

costs despite having the highest initial cost. A fully electric system, power is provided four 1,843kW Bergen C25:33 L6A diesel generators. A single shaftline drives a large area CP propeller, which is flanked by two electrically driven Azipull 120 thrusters, which provide propulsion as well as manoeuvring, therefore there is no rudder. A central propeller is normally used to provide the necessary thrust for top speed. The Azipull units can be used for lower speed cruising for improved economy and provide vectored thrust at the stern, and with a 1,000kW bow thruster give a high level of agility.

The LNG optionThe Lifecycle system is also available with Bergen LNG engines of the same size and power together with the complete gas system. Space for the LNG tanks is created by lengthening the vessel and inserting a new mid-ship section at the forward main fire bulkhead location. This section can house four vertical LNG tanks with sufficient capacity for

19

three weeks’ cruising. All machinery and propulsion

packages can be complemented with additional Rolls-Royce products such as stabilisers, mooring winches and a Unified Bridge. They are integrated to perform efficiently together and are supplied with a range of Rolls-Royce automation and control equipment.

For the owner, full systems integration delivers advantages like competitive operating and investments costs, with optimised performance. Through life support is also simplified. For the shipyard, design work is reduced and the risk of variance from the design requirement is minimised due to more accurate performance predictions.

Larger platformsRolls-Royce integrated systems are not limited to this size of cruise ship and are available for vessels up to 60,000gt. Other products suit all vessel sizes. AR

FIND OUT MORE esa.jokioinen@rolls-royce.com

ABOVE: The four propulsion systems are contained in the lower two decks and are matched to suitthe needs of smaller vessels in the 5,000 to 20,000gt range for the specialised cruise sector.

A trusted arrangement that provides an excellent balance of economy and efficiency.

Machinery: Mechanical HybridPropulsion: Twin Promas Shaftlines

BALANCED

1

Pure gas machinery coupled with advanced propulsion equipment provides the highest operational efficiency and lowest emissions.

Machinery: Medium Speed Diesel ElectricPropulsion: Large Area Propellor with Twin Azipull

ULTRA CLEAN

An elegant pairing of propulsion equipment and machinery provides very high operational efficiency and low lifecycle cost.

Machinery: Medium Speed Diesel ElectricPropulsion: Large Area Propeller with Twin Azipull

LIFECYCLE

4

A flexible arrangement that provides low investment cost, small footprint, and yard-friendly installation.

Machinery: High Speed Diesel ElectricPropulsion: Twin Azipull

COMPACT

2

3

DigitalView an animation

of the different options available by downloading the free In-depth

app from iTunes or Googleplay

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C U S TO M E R F O C U S

Mercy Ships brings free, quality medical care to the poorest nations of the world through its fleet of hospital ships, the largest of which is the Africa Mercy, a converted rail ferry. It is also the largest non government-owned hospital ship

in the world. Onboard are five operating theatres, recovery and intensive care and low-dependency wards, which make up a total of 82 patient beds. Surgical capacity is about 7,000 interventions a year, and specialist equipment includes CT scan/X-ray suites and laboratory services. Satellite communications are used for consultations with pathologists in other countries and to access additional specialist support.

The partnership with Rolls-Royce will help ensure the continued, uninterrupted operation of the Africa Mercy. As Andy Marsh, President of Marine Services, says: “Rolls-Royce is committed to making a positive difference to the communities in which it operates. This partnership with Mercy Ships is an opportunity to use our marine equipment expertise and our dedicated people to enhance the tremendous work Mercy Ships performs, bringing medical support to the underprivileged around the globe.”

Russ Holmes, Mercy Ships Director of Corporate Relations, says: “Partnering with Rolls-Royce gives us the opportunity to keep our hospital ship Africa Mercy maintained to the highest standard so that we can continue providing healthcare to the poorest of the poor. It also gives Rolls-Royce employees the chance to be part of what we do.”

At 16,572gt, the Africa Mercy is currently the largest civilian hospital ship in the world. It is 152m long with a beam of 23.7m and has a crew capacity of 474. Four engines provide more than 12MW of power for propulsion and ship services.

Built in 1980 in Elsinore, Denmark, the former rail ferry Dronning Ingrid was built for Danish State Railways. It was purchased by the charity in 1999, when the Africa

Helping

HANDSLast year, Rolls-Royce officially became a supporter

of Mercy Ships, an international charity with the mission to increase global access to

healthcare through a fleet of hospital ships. A comprehensive service for the equipment on

board the Africa Mercy is provided, as well as access to training facilities and financial support

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Mercy project started. Cammell Laird Shipyard, which later became A&P Shipyard on Tyneside in the UK, undertook fitting out. The ferry’s large train deck made it a good choice for conversion into a hospital. When it commenced service in 2007, it brought in a greater capacity than the three earlier Mercy Ship vessels combined.

As 75 per cent of the world’s population live within 100 miles of a port, modern hospital ships can provide in some way for the people who lack access to medical care, clean water and reliable electricity.

Based in West Africa, the Africa Mercy visits different countries at the specific invitation of the host nation’s government. Before Africa Mercy departed for its eight-month visit to Madagascar, the ship’s bow thrusters were overhauled by Rolls-Royce while in drydock in the Canary

Islands. It was the first time Rolls-Royce engineers had worked on the vessel since the partnership began.

During the eight-month stay in Madagascar, Mercy Ships estimates that it will provide approximately 1,700 surgeries for adult and child patients on board and treat approximately 8,000 at a land-based dental clinic renovated for that purpose. In addition to surgeries, ship-based teams serve local villages by providing a range of services to increase the health and wellbeing of the local population. Health education, mentoring of local healthcare professionals and agricultural training are offered as well.

The vessel has meeting and work spaces for the average crew of 450. Accommodation includes 26 family cabins, 25 couple/twin cabins, and the rest are one, two, three and four-berth cabins. AR ››

ABOVE: Hospital ship Africa Mercy, a converted rail ferry, is home

to over 400 people and started bringing medical services to people in Africa in

2007.

LEFT: A patient recovers on

board Africa Mercy.

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C U S TO M E R F O C U S

What does it take to be the Master of a unique vessel and be responsible for more than 450 people?In-depth put a few questions to Timothy Tretheway, Master of Africa Mercy

Where did you get your maritime experience?As a life-long sailboat sailor and racer, I was on the water at an early age and later learned navigation while racing and delivering sailboats. As I began my working career, I worked in the development of ports and marinas, involving aids to navigation, dredging and marine construction, and also progressed my maritime licences and training.

How did you get involved with Mercy Ships, and what are your responsibilities?In the mid-1980s, I heard that the Mercy Ships original flagship, the Anastasis, was seriously short of seafarers, and so I volunteered as a seaman. I was impressed by the mission and method of the ship and crew, and deeply moved by personal experiences with the people the ship came to serve. I felt that, although I did not have the skills to physically transform a life, I could move and maintain a good platform for those who could. So I made the commitment to focus my career toward helping suffering people by serving in Mercy Ships.

I served in many capacities over the years, including able-seaman and all the different officer levels. I had the pleasure of being a training officer for some time and enjoyed seeing some of our diverse and often untrained crew, many from developing nations, become competent seafarers and officers.

At various times, I have been the master or senior deck officer on most of the ships in the Mercy Ships fleet and became Master of Africa Mercy in 2008.

I met my wife while serving as chief officer on our previous flagship in Spain during a refit, and we married a few years later

during the development phase of Africa Mercy. We have a son, who thrives onboard in

The Academyz, along with about 43 other children.

Why do you do what you do?Many people dream of changing the world, of helping others have a better life, yet for many they do not see how their profession or skill can be a benefit to a poor person suffering unimagined pain or disfigurement or blindness. I was

the same. I also was exploring my personal faith in God and wondered

how I might be able to help bring hope and healing to others.I discovered that my maritime skills could

provide a platform for helping such people, and it has been my privilege to have done so now

for 28 years. In addition, it really comes down to the human beings we see each day who might be trapped in the darkness of blindness, or incapacitated with deformities of the limbs or daily living in pain from a host of maladies. As a result, I am continually refreshed to witness the blind see, the lame walk, and hope made tangible to the poor. What could be a better legacy? How is Rolls-Royce support helping?The overhaul work and spares for our bow thrusters last year has improved our safety on Africa Mercy. Many ports we visit have little or no tug support. We therefore need every advantage when manoeuvring, and our newly overhauled bow thrusters and high-angle rudders are a huge advantage.

In addition, we are currently in a port exposed to tropical cyclones and related surge conditions. We use the bow thrusters to assist us in maintaining position at our berth in heavy surge conditions.

It has recently been announced that Africa Mercy will return to Madagascar in August 2015 after a short refit in Durban, South Africa.

A master OF MERCY

BRINGING HOPE

Timothy Tretheway, Master of Africa Mercy, says it is a privilege to use his maritime skills

to help bring hope and healing to others.

(Image credit: Mercy Ships)

“I HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING A TRAINING OFFICER AND ENJOYED SEEING SOME OF OUR DIVERSE AND OFTEN

UNTRAINED CREW, MANY FROM DEVELOPING NATIONS, BECOME COMPETENT SEAFARERS AND OFFICERS”

››

DAY 1 As a guest, I get one of the more luxurious cabins. For crew, jobs are posted with a ‘stay length’ and this influences accommodation. The largest is a ten-berth cabin. For example, receptionists and kitchen staff require less ramp-up time, so have a minimum commitment of three months. Whereas a nurse or anaesthetist will require more familiarisation time, so the minimum stay is ten months; for senior roles it’s two years. The longer your commitment, the bigger the cabin you get.

I’m so impressed by the people onboard. It takes about 400 crew members and 200 local day crew to keep this hospital ship running. The day crew are employed to give them work experience and to help with a range of support activities, including translation. Some are fluent in Malagasy, Mandarin, French and English.

I am amazed that the volunteer crew have to pay for their own room and board in addition to giving their time, and that does not result in a lack of staff. They rely on support and sponsorship from family and friends for costs that vary, but it’s roughly $700 USD (£456) a month for cabin and board. Mercy Ships understands everyone is giving their all, so do their utmost to look after the crew.

DAY 2 At every port location, the ship partners and works with the local hospital as a location for their HOPE Centre (Hospital Out-Patient Extension). This is needed to provide secure shelter for patients awaiting or recovering

from surgery, releasing onboard beds. Here it is an unused building, renovated by Mercy Ships, and it will become a legacy for the locals when the Africa Mercy leaves. Next door, another building has become a dental clinic, a novelty as there are very few in the whole country. On day one the team saw 40 patients, but carried out 139 tooth extractions!

DAY 3 Today I saw patients who have already been assessed in a reception point on the dockside and have an appointment for surgery. I did rounds with Maxillofacial Surgeon Dr Gary Parker, a remarkable man. He signed up for three months with Mercy Ships 28 years ago, after medical school before starting ‘real work’, and has never left. He met his wife and had two children who have spent their entire lives onboard, the eldest only leaving last year for university.

I met a young girl with a disfiguring large tumour under her chin, naturally very shy and she uses a shawl to hide it. Although the tumour is benign, it will continue to grow – eventually restricting airways. In the west, dentists find these tumours before they grow – not so here. I am dressed in scrubs and invited to witness this life-changing operation.

DAY 4 Today I joined recovering patients on deck to enjoy the view and fresh air. One girl has come in for surgery on her bowed legs, normally caused by malnutrition, so I am able to pull her along in a wagon. I take a video of her playing and she howls with laughter – seeing herself on video for the first time is the funniest thing. Another little boy had been operated on so he could use his mouth again, releasing him from a life eating soup.

There is a fully certified school called The Academy, with 16 full-time teachers to educate the 43 children living onboard. Programmes are tailored to the UK or US education system, up to university entry. Finished the day with a career talk to 16 teenagers, which was an eye opener. They are so smart because they have seen so much of the world, but said there are some things that you don’t realise you don’t know being raised on a ship – such as, for example, how to use an ATM!

Life-changing JOURNEY

ABOVE: Crystal Kuan interacts with Tonny [top] and Erissa [below] whose bowed legs Mercy Ships volunteers were able to correct.

To help Rolls-Royce employees gain an insight of life onboard Africa Mercy, Crystal Kuan, Sales and Marketing – Marine Services, joined the vessel in Toamasina. Here are some excerpts from her blog:

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U P D AT E S

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In the half century since the first Aquamaster® azimuth thruster was delivered, the technological advances and differences of today’s designs make it virtually unrecognisable

THE PRODUCT HAS GROWN IN SIZE AND SCOPE TO BECOME A KEY PART OF TODAY’S ROLLS-ROYCE PROPULSION PORTFOLIO

ABOVE: The Contaz thruster range brought with it new levels of efficiency, with low levels of noise and vibration.

LEFT: The largest order for UUC underwater mountable thrusters to date was for the innovative Allseas heavy lift vessel Pioneering Spirit. The picture shows the 13 thrusters being loaded for the voyage to the buildyard in Korea. ››

CELEBRATING

50 YEARSOF AZIMUTH THRUSTERS

The first azimuth thruster was largely made up from tractor and vehicle components, and started life as a diversification for the

Hollming shipyard in Rauma, Finland. The yard had been established to

build vessels as war reparations to the Soviet Union, and was looking for something to even out market fluctuations. Their first product was a steerable propeller with a deck-mounted diesel engine, which was installed on a hopper barge called Palko, also devised by the yard.

That was half a century ago, and the beginning of product development that has grown in size and scope to become a key part of today’s Rolls-Royce propulsion portfolio.

At that time the principle of the azimuth thruster was well known. John Ericsson, the innovator of many technologies in the 19th century, had patented a deck-mounted outboard engine. Other patents were issued in the US and UK in the 1870s and demonstrated as through hull units on a large scale. During the Second World War, barges were equipped with over-the-stern thrusters with deck-mounted engines. But there was not yet a convincing commercial demand. This emerged in the 1970s and has widened ever since.

For the first few years, production

volumes were small, between two and ten units per year

in sizes from 50-200hp. The market was there, but the main difficulty was sourcing components. The first exported units went

to Germany, then Sweden specified azimuth units for

propelling road link ferries. In the UK, Yorkshire Dry Dock built

many small coastal cargo vessels, each with two 400hp units. As the export market grew, a suitable name was needed for the product, and it evolved over time to be known as the ‘Aquamaster® azimuth thruster’. Aquamaster® remains a valued registered trademark of Rolls-Royce.

By 1975 thrusters were offered in four sizes, from 100 to 800hp. The market outside Europe had grown as well, expanding to include the US, Canada and Japan, while sales volumes were growing rapidly and marketing companies and agencies were being set up around the world.

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U P D AT E S

Research and developmentIt was clear that the market was interested in bigger azimuth thrusters. The problem was finding durable large bevel gears and the other components needed to handle the high powers. Special gears could be prohibitively expensive to buy, and other design constraints might pose a long-term maintenance cost.

A significant advance came at the beginning of the 1980s with the design of the first unit to be rated at over 1,000hp. This was the Aquamaster® 1600. The Finnish oil company Neste ordered three tugs equipped with these thrusters and these vessels became a good reference in the years that followed, not only for reliability but also for their manoeuvrability.

The quest for greater efficiencies led to the Aquamaster® CRP, an azimuth thruster with two contra-rotating propellers close together so the aft propeller recovered swirl energy from the leading one. It was given the name Contaz.

The result was an improvement in thrust and vessel speed, with a corresponding decrease in fuel consumption.

The first CRP thrusters were delivered to a road ferry operating in Turku, southern Finland. It operates in ice during the winter.

PowerfulAt the other end of the size spectrum the first Aquamaster®

azimuth thrusters with a power rating in excess of 10,000hp were

developed in the early 1990s, the initial application being a very demanding one, ice-strengthened

ARC 1 units. Two thrusters per ship were supplied to the multipurpose

icebreakers Fennica and Nordica, providing both

main propulsion and excellent manoeuvring in open water or thick ice. The two vessels are still operating in the same way today, providing icebreaking services in the Baltic during winter and acting as offshore support vessels in summer.

The Aquamaster® business was restructured and enlarged several times in the years following its

THE FIRST AQUAMASTER AZIMUTH THRUSTERS

WITH POWERS IN EXCESS OF 10,000HP WERE

DEVELOPED IN THE EARLY 1990S, THE INITIAL APPLICATION WAS

ICE-STRENGTHENED ARC 1 UNITS

Steerable azimuth thruster no 1 went into service in May 1965,

propelling the mud hopper barge Palko with 60kW of power.

Stee

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Ice-strengthened models rated at 7,500kW with DNV Polar 10 ice class were fitted to the ice-breakers Fennica and

Nordica in 1993.

Large underwater mountable thrusters, with over 5,000kW of

power, were developed for drills ships and

semi-submersible rigs.Unde

rwat

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uni

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UUC

Alls

eas

The largest order for UUC underwater mountable

thrusters to date was for the innovative Allseas heavy lift

vessel Pioneering Spirit. Over 1,000 UUC thrusters have

been delivered to date.

ABOVE: The quest for greater efficiencies led to the successful Aquamaster CRP, an azimuth thruster with two contra-rotating propellers, which was named Contaz.

››

27

birth in the Hollming yard, most significantly when it was merged with the Rauma Repola deck machinery business. The enlarged Aquamaster® business was acquired by Vickers plc in 1995 and was combined with Kamewa propulsion products manufactured in Sweden.

This combination of experience led to the development of the UUC range of underwater mountable thrusters, with the first being delivered for drill rig applications in 1998. These robust thrusters, designed primarily to operate in dynamic positioning (DP) mode, can be removed and installed without drydocking, an important feature as most rigs operate in remote locations. Today they are fitted to over 70 per cent of the world’s semi-submersible drilling rigs and drillships.

New developmentsFrom 2000 the thruster and deck machinery product lines manufactured in Finland and Sweden were integrated with other Rolls-Royce products manufactured in Norway. The range of azimuth thrusters became the broadest in the business and development continued.

In 2002 the first Azipull units, a ’pulling’ azimuth thruster, were retrofitted on the offshore vessel Havila Tampen.

Designed for maximum propulsive efficiency, with a hydrodynamically efficient shape, Azipull units are suitable for higher speed applications and for continuous service speeds of up to 24 knots. Sea trials showed a 20 per cent efficiency gain with better course keeping characteristics.

The conventional azimuth thruster range (US) with L or Z drive has also grown in power, with nine basic frame sizes now covering the power spectrum from 500-5,000kW. Modular construction means customers can select three installation options with ducted or open propellers, controllable, fixed pitch and contra-rotating.

A retractable range is suitable for auxiliary propulsion for DP vessels and take home propulsion, and PM thusters will soon be added.

Over the past five decades more than 8,000 azimuth thrusters have been delivered. RW

The introduction of the Contaz thruster range brought with it new

levels of efficiency with low levels of noise and

vibration.

LEFT: The ice breakers Fennica and Nordica were fitted with thrusters rated at 7,500kW with DNV Polar 10 ice-class.

BELOW: UUC underwater mountable thrusters are removed and exchanged during a drill rigs normal docking period.

Cont

az th

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Azim

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Thru

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Tug

s Azimuth thrusters and tugs were an ideal

match conferring new levels of precision manoeuvrability.

The introduction of the Azipull pulling thruster

has improved propulsive efficiency for vessels with a high top speed, and has

been selected for a number of commercial vessels where

precise manoeuvring is also important.

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U P D AT E S

When China’s Fujian Mawei shipyard delivers its high-end production support vessel to Dubai-based

Marine Assets Corporation in 2017 for deployment under charter to the Solwara 1 site in the Bismarck Sea, it won’t be the ‘black stuff’ this revolutionary vessel will help exploit, but instead will set its sights on something much more alluring – gold.

The 0.11km2 Solwara 1 project, 30km offshore Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the first ever deep-sea mine, is expected to open up a previously unexplored frontier for the extraction of base and precious metals and, potentially, a lucrative new market for seabed mining vessels.

An offshore gold rush has long been mooted given the rich abundance of minerals in the peaks,

GOLD

BELOW: Six Bergen B33:45 generator sets will provide a total power output of nearly 30MW. With selective catalytic reduction, the vessel is Tier III compliant and meets the American Bureau of Shipping’s (ABS) Comfort Class notation. (Six-cylinder B33:45 illustrated)

valleys and plains of the seafloor and higher ore concentrations.

What’s more, the cost of developing a seafloor mine is significantly less than a land-based equivalent, due to reduced machinery and development costs. There is no direct impact on communities and mining infrastructure can be easily relocated.

Yet despite these seemingly favourable factors, together with international declarations permitting the mining of the seabed for the “benefit of mankind”, falling metal prices and technological infancy has put large-scale seabed mining on hold – until now.

Today, perhaps a consequence of the recent technological advances made in offshore oil and gas exploration and production, the technology is now readily available to make seabed mining economically and environmentally viable.

Regulations are also being developed for this new industry by a number of countries.

“Given that 70 per cent of the

planet is covered by water and that significant high-grade mineral resources have been identified on the ocean floor, the mining industry is prepared to move offshore in much the same way that oil and gas industry moved offshore 40-50 years ago,” says Mike Johnston, the CEO of Nautilus Minerals, the Canadian mining contractor that will charter the world’s first seabed mining support vessel.

“Together with the scientific community, we have carried out extensive research into understanding the environment at Solwara 1 and have developed mitigation strategies to reduce the impact of mining operations, in particular the fully enclosed riser and lifting system that ensures the copper resource taken from the seafloor never comes in contact with the seawater above the mining operation.”

Once bulk cutters have cut the seabed rocks to manageable sizes, the mineralised slurry is pumped though the fully-enclosed riser pipe to the PSV on the surface, where the ore is separated.

The Fujian Mawei yard has now started work on the ShipTech Solutions-designed vessel. Based on a large offshore construction vessel, the 227m-long, 40m-wide first-of-a-kind vessel will be built to ABS Comfort Class rules.

To accommodate heavy lift equipment topside, the 68,000t vessel’s deck has a 1,000m2 working area strengthened to 7.5t/m2 to accommodate one 200-tonne subsea crane, a 100-tonne ship-to-shore crane and two 20-tonne deck cranes.

Below deck, ore storage holds are arranged amidships. Ore will be transferred to incoming handy size bulk carriers. All of the below-deck mining equipment will be installed in the 180-passenger capacity vessel to minimise equipment integration on delivery in 2017.

Propulsion equipment will be supplied by Rolls-Royce and is arranged in a diesel-electric configuration, based around the new Bergen B33:45 medium-speed engine range producing 600kW per cylinder.

DIGGERRolls-Royce propulsion equipment is set to power an innovative seabed mining ship, opening up a new market for the shipping industry

Six nine-cylinder 5MW Bergen B33:45 gensets with SCR technology will feed consumers that include a number of Rolls-Royce thrusters – three 3,000kW underwater mountable azimuth thrusters astern, and two 2,000kW tunnel thrusters and two 3,500kW retractable thrusters at the bow.

The propulsion arrangement meets DP2 requirements with a service speed of 12 knots.

John Knudsen, Rolls-Royce, President – Commercial Marine, says: “This multi-engine delivery to long-standing customers Fujian Mawei and MAC is a major step for our new medium-speed engines and we are exceptionally proud that the first Bergen B33:45 gensets have been selected to power this pioneering ship. They offer a 20 per cent increase in power per cylinder, while fuel consumption, emissions and through-life operating costs are substantially reduced.

“Deep-sea mining is an exciting new industry and we are pleased to be at the forefront of a new chapter in underwater exploration. Demand for natural resources continues to rise as developing countries emerge and land resources becoming increasingly stretched. With our extensive pedigree in the offshore

oil and gas sector, we look forward to working with Marine Assets Corporation and Nautilus Minerals in enabling them to become first movers in the extraction of valuable minerals from the seabed.”

The vessel will operate under a five-year time-charter with options to extend or purchase the vessel. It will serve as the operational base for the joint venture (Solwara 1 JV), formed by Nautilus and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea’s nominee, Eda Kopa (Solwara), a wholly owned subsidiary of Petromin PNG Holdings, which has taken a 15 per cent stake in the Solwara 1 mine by contributing $120 million towards operational costs.

Nautilus expects that mining the Solwara 1 site will take three to four years, with an annual yield of 1.3 million tonnes of ore. Having a moveable infrastructure means as other prospective deposits are identified, the mining operations can be moved to the new site.

“Our goal is to set the standard in how companies extract minerals from the ocean and ensure the continued sustainability of this valuable resource for the future,” says Mike Johnston.

Mark Reeves, Marine Assets Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer,

says: “We are not so familiar with the mining industry itself, but since becoming involved in this project, it is certainly apparent that there is huge potential in subsea mining.

“Nautilus is the market leader in this segment and I believe Solwara 1 is the first project that has actually come off the drawing board. Obviously these water depths are unknown territory for most of us, but site surveys and sampling have proven that the subsea mining sector can be extremely lucrative compared to land mining, with mineral content per tonne of ore considerably higher.

“For MAC, this is very exciting to be building a ‘world’s first’ again, and we have a long history with Rolls-Royce and Bergen equipment, so we know the vessel will perform well.” PW

INSET: MAC will take delivery of the world’s first seabed mining vessel from Fujian Mawei in 2017. (Image courtesy MAC)

Mike Johnson, CEO Nautilus Minerals: “The company will charter the seabed mining support vessel”.

MIKE JOHNSON

“WE ARE PLEASED TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF A NEW CHAPTER

IN UNDERWATER EXPLORATION”

U P D AT E S

Hydrodynamics is at the heart of Rolls-Royce marine activities. A large number of products in the portfolio involve moving fluid, therefore

a large knowledge base has been built up in propeller design, a number of azimuth thruster designs, tunnel thrusters and waterjets.

Not only must the hydrodynamic performance of the propulsor be defined, the complex interaction between the hull and rudder has to be fully understood for good performance to be achieved with the minimum noise and vibration, particularly important for cruise and passenger ships, super yachts and naval vessels.

“The propeller designer is often

constrained by the ship designer,” says Chief Hydrodynamicist Robert Gustafsson. “This can mean the propellers have to be a smaller diameter than the optimum, or with insufficient clearance between the blade tip and the hull. Cavitation performance is also a limiting factor, strongly affected by the inflow the hull generates to the propeller. As yet the capability does not exist to design it out of any ship and propulsor design, but its effects, which can cause vessel damage in extreme cases, must be fully understood for any ship design to be a success.

Rolls-Royce designers deal with vastly differing needs when it comes to propeller design, depending on the customer’s specific operating conditions. Decades of experience studying hydrodynamic and cavitation efficiency are critical in meeting those requirements

THE

ACTBALANCING

30

ABOVE: A propeller design that was rejected due to erosive cavitation. BELOW: Propeller tip vortex cavitation can be clearly seen in the test tunnel, with hub vortex cavitation barely visible.

As one notable naval architect said to me once, without a good propeller, you don’t have a good ship”.

Gaining a deep understanding of hydrodynamic issues requires a lot of experience and historical data on which to draw. The Rolls-Royce Hydrodynamic Research Centre has been undertaking detailed hydrodynamic studies of propulsors for over 70 years. More than 1,500 propeller designs have been model tested to date, and about 40 are undertaken each year.

Over the last decade, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and numerical methods have advanced at a rapid rate and brought further improvements. Using this bank of hydrodynamic and CFD data, a design system known as ‘Propcalc’ has been developed, automating and integrating optimisation and CFD analysis tools into the Rolls-Royce design process, making it possible for a designer to arrive at a preliminary blade design very quickly.

EfficiencyWhat is good performance in context of propeller design? Most people would say good efficiency with low fuel consumption and, in most cases that is correct. But for ice breakers,

31

blade strength and reliability could be top and for cruise vessels and yachts, it’s normally onboard noise levels. For naval vessels that need to operate silently at high speeds, it’s cavitation inception speed – the speed at which they can operate before the propellers produce any cavitation and radiated noise, so making them much easier to detect.

Cavitation comes in many forms, the main ones being suction side sheet, blade root, tip vortex, hub vortex and propeller hull vortex cavitation. The balance between efficiency and cavitation is just one of the balancing acts for the designer – several operating conditions of the propeller must also be considered.

The target is to achieve the lowest possible power consumption in the towing tank test at model scale. But this can mean other factors such as vibrations on board, radiated noise levels, risk of corrosive cavitation, and fuel consumption at full scale.

Cavitation performance and noise levels are normally contradictory to high efficiency. High propeller efficiency often results in high-pressure pulses

and a lot of cavitation, with the resulting risk of erosion with high noise levels. As no shipowner wants a propeller that initially has very good efficiency, but after a short time experiences cavitation erosion or high vibration levels, two types of comparative model testing is the best way forward.

First is a towing tank test (resistance and propulsion) where power consumption is measured. It should be followed by a cavitation test, where cavitation performance and pressure pulses can be validated.

The standard test is designed to study fully developed cavitation, to determine if it is erosive and the noise it generates. As there is a step-change in the noise level a non-cavitating propeller produces and its cavitating counterpart, it is necessary to find the cavitation inception speed (CIS). This is the point where cavitation is barely visible. But the change in noise level happens quickly, as soon as cavitation starts, so even a small amount gives rise to a significant increase in noise.

Identifying CIS requires a special test to find incipient cavitation and starts with the propeller completely free of any type of cavitation. By varying

different operational parameters the inception point of the various types of cavitation can be determined and mapped. For each type of cavitation, the points are combined to form limit curves, then another curve representing the operation of the vessel is overlaid. The intersection point between this curve and the propeller cavitation curves identifies the inception speeds.

Fig 1 is an example of a cavitation inception diagram with only two types of cavitation shown. To create the diagram the cavitation tunnel must be set to a certain cavitation number (σ). This number is set by changing the pressure in the tunnel, the water velocity is normally kept constant.

For each change in number, the advance ratio (J) the measure of the propeller blade angle of attack is varied. The start point is a low propeller shaft speed (high J) with no cavitation on the suction side. Speed is then increased to the point when tip vortex cavitation starts. Repeating the process, but this time from a high shaft speed, the speed at which the cavitation starts on the pressure side of the blade is identified. For a complete cavitation test, the process is repeated for all types of cavitation.

InteractionsHaving an in-house hydrodynamics facility enables areas of concern to be studied under controlled conditions. One particular area is propeller and rudder interaction, which can lead to cavitation damage over part of the rudder blade.

Flow from the propeller slipstream approaches the rudder with a swirling motion having both an axial and rotational component, which can produce cavitation on the rudder at any angle. Solutions have been developed that include changes to rudder shape in three dimensions, and better integration of the hull, propeller and rudder. All these factors are taken into account when perfecting the Promas system designs for individual vessels. AR

FIND OUT MORE Email robert.gustafsson@ rolls-royce.com

A cavitation inception diagram with only two types of cavitation shown. In this example, the CIS is 17.8 knots. It is the first intersection between the ship curve and the cavitation curve for the suction side of the blade.

“WITHOUT A GOOD PROPELLER, YOU DON’T HAVE A GOOD SHIP”

CAVITATIONINCEPTION SPEEDDIAGRAM

6

5.5

5

4.5

4

3.5

3

2.5

2

1.5

0.9 0.95 1 1.05 1.1 1.15 1.2 1.25 1.3

Inception speed 17.8kn

J

Suction side tip vortex

Pressure side tip vortex

σ

The selection of Promas by Viking Cruises and Fincantieri for a new breed of cruise ship has delivered performance that exceeded expectations

excellent inflow to the propellers, as well as good clearance between propeller blade tips and hull, if propeller-induced noise was to be minimised. Six bladed 4.5m diameter fixed pitch monoblock propellers were specified by shipbuilder Fincantieri due to hull vibration modes. The number of blades lowered pressure pulses, therefore the design challenge presented was to match the blade design to the hull to maximise propulsive efficiency, yet be exceptionally quiet. Close working with the yard was key to the project.

Using extensive hydrodynamic experience, the rudders and propellers were designed, developed and analysed at the Rolls-Royce Hydrodynamic Research Centre in Sweden. Model testing, including cavitation and self-propulsion tests, were undertaken by MARIN in Wageningen, The Netherlands, and at the SVA cavitation tunnel at Potsdam, Germany.

The tests confirmed very good cavitation performance, a little stable sheet cavitation on the suction side and a very small tip vortex. In fact, Promas improved performance in all areas – speed, manoeuvrability and noise.

This improvement in efficiency is achieved by several components. The twisted rudder shape adapts

When Viking Star concluded its sea trials in February, Captain Gulleik Svalastog declared it “one

of the most agile, state-of-the-art and seaworthy ships on the water, destined to exceed the expectations of the most well-travelled guest”.

The cruise ship, built by leading Italian cruise ship builder Fincantieri is fitted with the Rolls-Royce Promas integrated rudder and propulsion system, the first time Promas has been installed on a new-build cruise vessel.

Viking Star is the first vessel to operate for Viking Oceans, the cruise arm of Viking Cruises which is the world’s leading operator with a fleet of 53 vessels. Viking Star will host 930 guests on itineraries that start from the brand’s homeland in Scandinavia and the Baltic through to the Western and Eastern Mediterranean.

Viking Oceans ordered three vessels, Viking Star and its sisters Viking Sea and Viking Sky, from Fincantieri to bring in a new area of destination-focused ocean cruising.

For the guest this means a few days at sea, longer stays in ports and more overnight stays in places of interest. In fact Viking Star’s maiden season was sold out before it was in the water, a key factor in the company placing orders for ships two and three, which are scheduled to be delivered next year.

Viking Star is 47,800gt and 228.2m long with a beam of 28.8m. It has nine decks and accommodates its passengers in comfort in 465 staterooms of different sizes, but all with their own verandas.

In designing the new vessels, Viking has incorporated a number of the popular features from its successful river cruise longship concept, which includes indoor and outdoor dining venues, the Scandinavian preference for simple airy spaces and variety – there are 15 different dining experiences to choose from. The top two decks are a bespoke observation area, and a promenade deck allows guests to walk right around the ship.

Equal attention has been paid to the ship’s systems. The hull designers were well aware of the need for

U P D AT E S

32

Viking Star’s twin Promas systems have 4.5m diameter fixed pitch propellers and confer a high level of efficiency and manoeuvrability.

EFFICIENCY

A STAR IS BORN

the rudder to the rotation of the propeller slipstream, giving lower drag and better recovery of swirl energy in the slipstream. For slow speed manoeuvring, the cavitation-free steering angle range is also extended, enhancing manoeuvrability.

The rudder bulb reduces hub-vortex losses and has a beneficial effect on the wake field. The hubcap acts as a hydrodynamic fairing. A different design of propeller blade rebalances the loading pattern on the various regions of the blade

without increasing propeller-induced noise and vibration.

During sea trials, the ship’s contracted design speed of 20 knots was achieved, with performance above expectations in both propulsion and manoeuvrability.

Getting propeller design right for any ship is very important, but in the cruise and naval sectors it is vital. It can have a direct impact on the all-important guest experience and potential survival for a naval vessel.

“Rolls-Royce has over 40 years’ experience in perfecting propeller

design for these vessels, and as a result a majority of these vessels today with conventional CP or FP propellers incorporate Kamewa designs from Rolls-Royce in their propulsion systems,” says Robert Gustafsson, Senior Hydrodynamicist.

“The design challenges are wide ranging and complex. They rarely mean just meeting class requirements, and can include ensuring the system can operate efficiently in several different modes, and in different water depths, all at the same time. Every vessel and application has its unique points, but the experience used to arrive at the best solution does not change. In fact it continues to grow with time.

“The focus for these innovative cruise vessels is not only on efficiency and noise, but also manoeuvrability, as they are designed for direct access to most ports for easy and efficient embarkation and debarkation.”

The Viking vessels are fitted with energy-efficient engines and benefit from a hydrodynamically optimised and streamlined hull together with Promas for maximum fuel efficiency. A number of systems combine to minimise energy use onboard. As well as supplying the twin Promas system for the Viking Star, Rolls-Royce also integrated the steering gear and supplied the deck machinery. AR

33

“THE VESSELS ARE DESIGNED FOR DIRECT ACCESS TO MOST PORTS FOR EASY AND EFFICIENT EMBARKATION AND DEBARKATION”

Extensive model testing of the Promas system was undertaken in The Netherlands and Germany to perfect the design.

TRIED AND TESTED

C U S TO M E R S U P P O R T

34

Keeping drill rigs and drill ships operating as planned and minimising any downtime can have a significant impact on profitability. With the

number of vessels equipped with UUC underwater mountable azimuth thrusters increasing over the last decade, Rolls-Royce has been listening to customer requirements and developed a turnkey support package that is flexible and can be tailored to individual needs.

Periodic thruster maintenance is governed by prevailing class society rules. After five years in operation they must be visually inspected for wear. Thereafter this must be undertaken annually, until a stipulated full thruster overhaul is necessary.

To get this work done, operators normally allocate maintenance days in their contracts, but with the growing pressure on costs the number of days is being reduced all the time.

“Most users of our UUC thrusters are

focused on a single activity, drilling for oil,” says Matti Randell, who heads support for the Finnish built thrusters in Rauma.

“They have told us this is their prime goal and they don’t want to be distracted by running teams that manage maintenance and overhaul tasks.

“We have therefore developed this turnkey programme to meet those needs, but it is flexible enough to be tailored to individual requirements, and for customers who may only require parts of the package.”

The focus of the new programme is to ensure any thruster maintenance is completed in the shortest possible time, anywhere in the world, thereby reducing any time off-hire. Selecting different labour options allows customers to balance cost and time, which is enhanced when spare thrusters are available and enables an immediate return to operations.

Catering for different needs“We understand that customer needs differ, therefore the programme is designed to be flexible,” adds Randell. “Customers can select the

DigitalTo see a video

interview with Matti Randell

about the thruster support programme,

download the In-depth app from

iTunes or Googleplay

KEEP ON EARNING

In response to the need to reduce downtime, Rolls-Royce now offers a full turnkey support package for

UUC azimuth thrusters to minimise operational disruption

“We understand that customer needs differ, therefore the programme is designed to be flexible.”

MATTI RANDELL

35

Support in fullThe UUC thruster turnkey support The programme has been developed to provide the best possible service, fixing overhaul costs and includes everything to ensure a successful thruster change-out in the shortest possible time. Rolls-Royce will take full responsibility for all aspects of the thruster exchange, working to an agreed timeframe.

Repair and overhaul Thrusters are overhauled in one of four specialist Rolls-Royce workshops around the world, using genuine OEM spares at a fixed price*. The overhaul includes torque testing with full quality and inspection documentation for class requirements. (*Price varies by location and is dependent on key parts being reusable)

Spare thrusters Supplied to the same specification as the installed units, with the latest product improvements fully integrated. (Customers who own spare thrusters can maximise time and cost savings)

Underwater interventionA dedicated project manager will coordinate all aspects of thruster removal and installation, including the provision of service engineers, divers, special tooling and crane barge. On completion, class documentation is provided.

LogisticsOnce a suitable service location and time has been agreed, all transportation of exchange/spare thrusters will be arranged, together with the necessary insurance.

Storage Long and short-term storage of spare thrusters at a pre-agreed location or service shop, plus regular upkeep maintenance at a fixed price ensures units are available for immediate release.

Condition Monitoring All UUC thrusters, no matter their age, can be retrofitted with the CMS during overhaul. New parts to take the necessary sensors are fitted and the unit returned with the necessary interfaces for real-time reporting.

parts of the programme that add the maximum value for them around the overhaul activities.”

For example an operator with a small number of rigs may find the cost of spare thrusters difficult to justify. Rolls-Royce offers the rapid overhaul of existing units, within 30 days (for thrusters presenting normal wear characteristics).

Up to two thrusters can be overhauled at the same time. With the underwater services included, Rolls-Royce guarantees to remove, overhaul and refit the thrusters within a set time.

Fixing prices for no surprisesFour repair centres for UUC thrusters have been established: Ulsteinvik, Norway; Galveston, USA; Rio, Brazil; and Las Palmas in The Canaries, (opening Q3 2015).

Thrusters that are part of the programme can be overhauled at these centres to a fixed price that reflects the local labour rates.

They are overhauled to OEM standards and the latest product improvements fitted, and are supplied with a full 12-month warranty.

Integrating Condition MonitoringThe UUC azimuth thruster Condition Monitoring System (CMS) is classification society-approved with ABS, Lloyds Register and DNV GL, and can be fitted as part of the overhaul. Regular reports provide a level of detail for review during equipment surveys to determine the actual condition of the thrusters, without the need for expensive and often time-consuming internal visual inspections. Maintenance and overhaul intervals can be extended to anywhere between five and ten years.

The system can be linked to the onshore Rolls-Royce operations centre, where the data is analysed by specially developed software to produce the trending and operational information. It is then further analysed by technical experts and regular reports are sent to the owner or operator.

The availability of spare thrusters, together with detailed planning, is the enabler for maximum time and cost savings. AR

FIND OUT MORE matti.randell@rolls-royce.com

ABOVE: Mobilisation of crane barges or a heavy lift vessel, together with the transport of spare units, can all be included in a turnkey thruster support package.

36

C U S TO M E R S U P P O R T

As a successful supplier of one of the broadest ranges of thrusters in the industry, a growing number of vessels are equipped with

a full set of thrusters from the Rolls-Royce family.

In the offshore sector, these may be azimuth thrusters for main propulsion, with retractable and tunnel units for manoeuvring and dynamic positioning. Merchant vessels may be equipped with single

or multiple tunnel bow thrusters for manoeuvring assistance, with some smaller vessels also equipped with Azipull azimuth thrusters.

To help shipowners minimise drydocking times, Rolls-Royce has enlarged its Support Pool with a number of additional thruster models.

That enables the exchange of a complete ship set of azimuth and tunnel thrusters, or just a single thruster as part of a planned maintenance solution.

Plug & playA significant investment in the number of thrusters available across the most popular types now means full propulsion shipsets of thrusters can be changed out in single dry docking. All aspects of the programme are tailored to individual requirements, to ensure shipowners that use the Support Pool can reduce the number of days a vessel would normally spend in drydock, maximising the vessel’s revenue-earning potential.

By using the thruster Support Pool the vessel owner can guarantee availability of a replacement unit, which minimises downtime and avoids costly waiting time for parts and labour at the drydock. Even with the best planning during a conventional docking and overhaul routine, the right service parts can only be determined when a thruster is removed for overhaul. Missing or incorrect parts can cause delays.

Overhaul centresTwo European thruster overhaul

FULL SUPPORTTo help customers reduce vessel drydocking times, Rolls-Royce has enlarged its Support Pool of azimuth and tunnel thrusters to ensure quick replacement or a complete overhaul

37

centres have been established, in Gdynia, Poland and Ulsteinvik, Norway. Others are planned to provide global support. All will be equipped to similar OEM standards, with full spin testing facilities. Thrusters in the pool will be overhauled and stored at these locations.

They can be shipped to wherever the shipowner is docking the vessel, so they are on the quay waiting for the vessel to arrive, ready for a rapid swap-out or to replace a damaged or worn unit.

Predictable pricingThe price for each thruster is based on fixed prices for overhaul labour and the cost of a standard spare parts kit, plus on site service engineer costs. In the event of a thruster being found beyond the normal ‘wear & tear’ condition, there is a capped price for additional spares that will not be exceeded, so the potential worst case cost is known from the start.

“In developing the Thruster Support Pool we listened to customer concerns,” says Geir Sundal, Business Manager Ulsteinvik.

“They were primarily the thruster unit cost and the associated transport costs, which can have a significant impact on the overall price.

“We have therefore fixed the price of each replacement thruster and capped the cost of any overhaul, should anything unexpected be found on stripdown. Having our thruster support centres close to repair yards means customers can select repair yards that minimise the transport costs.”

Factory standardsAs some thrusters often serve 30 years or more they are still supported by Rolls-Royce, and when there are design improvements they are incorporated while the unit is being overhauled.

The OEM 12-month warranty starts from when the thrusters are fitted by Rolls-Royce engineers, not on delivery to the shipyard. AR

FIND OUT MORE thrustersupportpool @rolls-royce.com

Support Pool saves almost two weeksWhen the 2005-built platform supply vessel Bourbon Topaz docked in the Ørskov Yard in Frederikshavn, Denmark, in January for the overhaul of its four thrusters, replacement units from the Rolls-Royce Thruster Support Pool were already waiting.

The two main propulsion azimuth thrusters, 2,500kW Azipull 120 units with CP propellers, the swing-up TCNS 73 azimuth thruster and the TT2200 tunnel thruster, were removed and exchanged with replacement units over an eight-day period. The vessel then returned to operations.

“A conventional well-planned multiple-thruster overhaul at the yard would take around 21 days, but using Support Pool units speeded everything up and ensured there were no surprises or delays. It was also complete in the agreed time,”

says Terje Fjelle of Bourbon Offshore Norway.

The removed units were taken to the Rolls-Royce centre for overhaul and testing, and then returned to the Support Pool.

“We have a broad range of units in the Support Pool, so we can deliver similar time savings for other shipowners at a fixed price, which helps with budget planning and ensures minimal time in drydock,” says Geir Oscar Løseth, General Sales Support Manager, Ulsteinvik.

CASE STUDYLEFT: Thrusters in the Support Pool are stored at the repair centres in Norway and Poland, while other centres in North America and Asia are planned.

Models in the Thruster Support Pool

Swing-up AzipullTunnel

thrusters (TV & TT)

Contaz Standard modular

TCNS 73, TCNS 92

AZP 85 CP/FP, AZP 100 CP/FP, AZP 120 CP/FP

TV series: TV90, TV150, TV250, TV375

TT series: TT1100, TT1300, TT1650, TT1850, TT2000, TT2200, TT2400, TT2650

Contaz 15, Contaz 25

US 205

38

C U S TO M E R S U P P O R T

Rolls-Royce has opened a new facility to support the service and testing requirements for the Royal Navy’s next

generation of destroyers.Vice Admiral Simon Lister, Chief of

Materiel (Fleet), Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the centre’s opening at Filton, Bristol, UK.

The Rolls-Royce Marine Test facility includes a new WR-21 test cell to support the in-service requirements of the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers. It can service and test both WR-21 and MT30 marine gas turbines and is equipped with load cells to test engines delivering up to 40MW.

Vice Admiral Lister said: “The Type 45 destroyer is truly a breakthrough vessel, and the most advanced warship ever to be deployed by the Royal Navy. Key to its future success is the performance of the WR-21 gas turbine. Having a dedicated facility that can service and test these unique engines to maximise availability is essential if we are to ensure the Type 45 is constantly operationally effective.”

Don Roussinos, President – Naval said: “This unique facility not only demonstrates our capabilities in support of the Type 45 programme, but also the close working relationship Rolls-Royce has with the Royal Navy. A key part of the relationship was to build an overhaul and test capability to maximise the availability of the WR-21 engines to support the destroyers’ demanding operational schedules.”

To meet Ministry of Defence

efficiency objectives, Rolls-Royce used its existing marine gas turbine test infrastructure, adapting and modifying the MT30 test cell in Bristol. Systems and components from the MOD’s decommissioned land-based Electric Ship Technology Demonstrator were reconditioned and incorporated into the new cell.

The facility now includes separate but adjoining cells that can test MT30 and WR-21 marine gas turbines. This will deliver operational efficiencies, not only for Type 45 support, but also for the future Royal Navy fleet that will be powered by MT30, the world’s most power dense marine gas turbine. This additional capability means that the gas turbines installed in current and future class vessels can all be split into modules for overhaul, rebuilt and tested at one centre in the UK, for simplified logistics.

As the new WR-21 cell replicates the engine installation in the Type 45, it will also be used to evaluate and assess changes in engine operation and service improvements long before they go to sea. The cell has high potential for use as a complementary training aid for Royal Navy personnel alongside existing facilities.

The Type 45 is the world’s first major surface warship to adopt integrated electric propulsion where two Rolls-Royce WR-21 gas turbines drive 21MWe alternators combined with two 2MWe diesel generators sets to supply power to the ships’ propulsion motors and services.

Rolls-Royce has a range of other equipment installed on the class – LV electrical systems, propellers, shaftlines, bearings, stabilisers, steering gear, anchor and mooring windlasses. AR

To the

MAXA dedicated Rolls-Royce facility to test the gas turbines on the Royal Navy’s

Type 45 fleet will support the destroyers’ demanding schedules

MT30 and WR-21 marine gas turbines can now be tested in the same facility, simplifying logistics.

TESTING

DigitalTo see a video of the new test bed

in our digital edition, download the In-depth app

from iTunes or Googleplay

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Training Centre P.O.Box 1522, N-6025 ÅlesundTel: +47 70 235 100 Fax: +47 70 10 37 01

POLANDKontenerowa Street 8, 81-155 Gdynia Tel: +48 58 782 06 55

RUSSIAOffice 41H, 32, Nevsky pr., 191011 St. PetersburgTel: +7 812 313 7551 (+7 961 803 3181 – 24/7)

SWEDENPO Box 1010, S-68129 KristinehamnTel: +46 550 840 00 (+46 550 84100 – 24/7)

UNITED KINGDOMTaxiway, Hillend Industrial Park, Dunfermline, Fife KY11 9JTTel: +44 1383 82 31 88 (+44 7831 167138 – 24/7)

Unit G35 Wellheads Industrial Estate, Dyce, Aberdeen, AB21 7GA Tel: +44 1224 774173

SOUTHERN EUROPE

ITALYVia Castel Morrone, 13, 16161 GenovaTel: +39 010 749 391 (+39 348 476 5928 24/7)

GREECE25, Poseidonos Ave., Moschato, Athens 18344Tel: +30 210 459 9688/9 (+39 348 4765 929 – 24/7)

SPAINEstartexe, 8 oficina E, 48940 Leioa – Vizcaya, BilbaoTel: +34 944 805 216

C/Dinamarca s/n (Pol. Ind.Constanti) 43120 Constanti, TarragonaTel: +34 977 296 444 (+34 977 296 446 – 24/7)

TURKEYNazan Sok. No:2 Lagoon Plaza D:3 34940 Tuzla, IstanbulTel: +90 216 446 9999 (+90 549 42 42 422 – 24/7)

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

NAMIBIAPO Box 4414, Old Power Station, 2nd Street East, Walvis BayTel: +264 642 275 440 (+264 811 274 411 – 24/7)

UNITED ARAB EMIRATESPO Box 261103, Oilfield Supply Centre, Shed no. 47, Jebel Air Free Zone, DubaiTel: +971 4 883 3881 (+971 5 0645 9170 – 24/7)

ASIA PACIFIC

AUSTRALIAUnit 4, 344 Lorimer Street, Port Melbourne, Victoria 3207Tel: +61 396 444 700

Unit 2, 8 Wallace Way, Fremantle WA 6160, PerthTel: +61 8 9336 7910

INDIAD/505 TTC Industrial Area, MIDC Turbhe, Navi Mumbai 400703Tel: +91 22 6726 38 38 (+91 773 877 5775 – 24/7)

SINGAPORENo 6, Tuas Drive 1, Singapore 638673Tel: +65 6862 1901 Fax: (+65 6818 5665 – 24/7)

NEW ZEALAND175 Waltham Road, Waltham, ChristchurchTel: +64 3 962 1230

CHINA1-7 Sai Tso Wan Road, Tsing Yi Island, N.T., Hong KongTel: +852 2526 6937 (+86 135 0173 0172 – 24/7)

No 1 Xuan Zhong Road – Nan Hui Industrial Zone, Shanghai 201300 Tel: +86 21 5818 8899 (+86 135 0173 0172 24/7)

Room 1204/1206 Swissotel, 21 Wu Hui Road, 116001 Dalian Tel: +86 411 8230 5198 (+86 135 0173 0172 – 24/7)

No. 107-4, Shiyu Road, Tianyi Village, Nansha District, 511475 GuangzhouTel: +86 20 8491 1696 (+86 135 0173 0172 – 24/7)

JAPANYamasaki Building 1st & 2nd Floor, 1-15-11, Kinpei-cho, Hyogo-Kobe 62-0873Tel: +81 78 652 8126

REPUBLIC OF KOREA197, Noksansaneopbuk-ro Gangseo-gu, Busan 618-818Tel: +82 51 831 4100

RUSSIA5 F, 3b, Streinikova str., Vladivostok 690065Tel: +7 4232 495 484

AMERICAS

BRAZILIlha do Caju 131, Ponta da Areia, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 24040-005Tel: +55 2707 5900 (+55 21 7101 1222 24/7)

CANADA142 Glencoe Drive, Mount Pearl, St Johns, Newfoundland, A1N 4P7Tel: +1 709 748 7650 (+1 709 687 1673 – 24/7)

96 North Bend Street, Coquitlam BC, V3K 6H1, VancouverTel: +1 604 942 1100 (+1 604 365 7157 – 24/7)

MEXICOEdif. Torre del Pilar, Blvd Ruiz Cortinez #3642, Boca del Rio, Veracruz, 94299Tel: +52 229 272 2240 (+52 229 272 2246 – 24/7)

USA110 Norfolk Street, Walpole, MA 02081Tel: +1 508 668 9610 (+1 877 598 6957 – 24/7)

10125 USA Today Way, Miramar, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33025Tel: +1 954 436 7100

1880 South Dairy Ashford, Ashford Crossing II, Suite 301, Houston, TX 77077Tel: +1 281 902 3300

Pelican Island # 1, 2929 Todd Road, Galveston, TX 77554Tel: +1 409 765 4800 (+1 832 298 7804 – 24/7)

200 James Drive West, St Rose, LA 70087Tel: +1 504 464 4561

1731 13th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98134 Tel: +1 206 782 9190 (+1 206 499 8245 – 24/7)

24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT

ROTTERDAM, tel: +31 20 700 6474HOUSTON, tel: +1 312 725 5727SINGAPORE, tel: +65 6818 5665Email: marine247support@ rolls-royce.com

FURTHER ONLINE CONTACTS INFORMATION

RR Marine International Offices: www.rolls-royce.com/marine/contacts

Marine Services Contacts & Locations: www.rolls-royce.com/marine/services/contacts_locations

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IN-DEPTH DIGITAL MAGAZINEwww.rolls-royce.com/marine

TWITTERtwitter.com/rollsroyce

YOUTUBEwww.youtube.com/user/RollsRoyceplc

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