Offshore staff
HELSINKI, Finland — Wärtsilä has developed a new thruster and propulsion control package for offshore vessels.
This combines the company’s WST-E electric steerable thruster and WST-R retractable thrusters with an updated remote propulsion control system. The ProTouch user interface is said to improve the accuracy and reliability of DP operations.
The retractable thrusters have an 8-deg tilted propeller shaft, also available as an option for the main steerable thruster, depending on the vessel layout. According to the company, it reduces losses in the interaction between the thrusters and hull, and between thrusters, thereby raising the effective thrust by up to 15% to 20%—so less installed power is needed for the same DP capability.
Emissions and fuel consumption are lower under this arrangement, the company added, and the main thrusters are prepared to deliver faster steering speed and power ramping to ensure a speedy response, if the DP capability needs it.
The main thrusters’ compact design includes an embedded electric motor in an L-drive configuration. This is said to require less space than regular L-drive thrusters, allowing these units to be fitted below a working deck.
Instead of multiple small displays, the updated ProTouch remote propulsion control system streamlines the number of screens used and employs larger screens, helping to improve situational awareness for navigators.
04.16.2024
