Richard Sauter the founder of Sauter Zero Carbon Design, is showing a way forward for commercial ships of the future. Called Black Magic, she is a 4,000 ton solar hybrid vessel that claims to reduce GHG by 75 to 100 per cent by capturing energy from the sun, wind and waves. The unusual wave piercing pentamaran hull is powered by several propulsion methods solely or in combinations. A large solar cell area of 2,000 square meters allows the vessel to operate at her maximum speed of 16 kts. A high efficiency azimuth propulsion system drives counter rotating Contracted Loaded Tip (CLT) propellers. Wind propulsion produced by three pairs of fully rotational wing sails can propel the ships at 10 kts. Contributing to the low emission claims is the use of Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC® exhaust treatment on the diesel generators of the diesel electric propulsion system.
In a bold attempt to cut down exhaust emissions to zero, a new canal cruise boat Nemo H2 has joined the fleet operated by Rederij Lovers, Amsterdam.
The canal boat is similar to conventionally powered boats with panoramic windows but is of course, silent and produces zero emissions.
Main propulsion is provided by a single 75 kW Voith azimuth electric thruster in the stern, with an 11 kW electric bow thruster in the bow. Electric power is produced from twin 30 kW PEM fuel cells with a 70 kWh Li-phosphate battery. The fuel cells run on hydrogen stored in six cylinders at a pressure of 35 MPa with a total capacity of 24 kg of gas. Maximum speed is 8.6 kts and autonomy at a mean speed of seven kts is nine hours.
A major factor slowing down the more widespread use of plug-in shore power to permit cold ironing is the lack of a safe, troublesome and easy to use standard for the shore to ship connector. Further complicating the problem is the abundance of different voltage and frequency systems found on ships of different nations. At the SMM exhibition in Hamburg last week a step closer to solving this problems was exhibited by the French company New Generation, Natural Gas abbreviated to NG2. The PLUG (Power Generation during Loading and Unloading) is a semi automatic system requiring only one sailor to operate it and to connect to the shore: no shore personnel is required..
At this year's CIMAC conference Wärtsilä presented a paper on noise reduction of medium speed engines. Changes made to the crankcase covers and camshaft covers brought the emitted sound level down by approximately 6dB(A). A multi-layer sandwich solution applied to the turbocharger casing and charge air cooler reduced noise levels 5dB(A). Engine noise emanating from th was reduced by placing an additional covering on top of the existing cylinder head valve covers. It is proposed that these optional parts will be available for current and future Wärtsilä medium speed engines providing a noise reduction of approximately 5dB(A).
Reederei Stefan Patjens is to retrofit a 5,000 TEU container vessel, the MV Maersk Drury for LNG operation.When completed on scheduled in 2012, it will be the very first use of LNG as a fuel on board a container ship and of LNG as a fuel in worldwide trading. The LNG fuel storage achieved using only containers. Only two of the four main MAN 7L27/38 generators will be converted for dual fuel operation as well as its auxiliary boiler will be modified.
The Wärtsliä Communication and Control Center (Wärtsilä 3C), connects all the separate systems used on board a vessel through a single interface providing full command and control of each individual system. It provides shipyard and ship operator with a one stop solution to the problem of integrating all the vessel’s different control systems into one package. Data may also be communicated to a remote server, for example the owner’s head office if so desired. Various systems such as optimal engine configuration, engine condition monitoring, trim management, navigation and route planning etc., are brought together under the one Wärtsilä 3C interface: it will comply with all the major classification societies.