Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway — Kongsberg Maritime has released the ULE PM retractable azimuth thruster range, which it claims is smaller than comparable models while maintaining thrust power, and suitable for modern offshore wind vessel designs where onboard space is restricted.
The new range features an integrated electric prime mover mounted low down between the steering gear, saving more than 1 m in vertical space in an engineering compartment. Kongsberg claims these are the smallest retractable thrusters available for any power requirement.
“We took a hard look at our thruster design after seeing the challenges our customers face finding the right equipment with optimal size-to-performance ratios and that work with their vessel designs and operating profiles,” said Pasi Villanen, Kongsberg Maritime's product manager for retractable thrusters.
All the new ranges are available as a Combi unit, which serves as an azimuth for maneuvering and dynamic positioning, or as a tunnel thruster when retracted into a tunnel. Drivetrains and hydrodynamics engineered for high thrust and fast response time allow the number and size of propulsion units in a vessel to be reduced, the company added.
Kongsberg’s Hydrodynamic Research Centre conducted multiple simulations and tests on the new range, leading to new patent-pending concepts that include optimized unit-to-hull interaction and a new nozzle profile.
12.15.2022
