Berg Propulsion has secured the first Asian reference for its Berg Azimuth Thruster (BAT), launched earlier this year, in what is also the first order to involve the product’s installation by a Chinese yard.
Berg has signed a contract with Singaporean oil and gas field support and logistics contractor Teras Offshore to deliver its largest BAT units to date, in the shape of two 2,500 Kw (1,600 rpm) output BAT 730 units, as well as two BTT 519 tunnel thrusters.
Berg Propulsion Singapore Production Facilities will deliver all units in August 2010 to CCCC Bomesc Marine Industry Co., Ltd. (Tianjin, China), for installation on board a 13,000 dwt deck cargo vessel, to work in combination with electric motors.
High manoeuvrability in demanding sea conditions will be required of this 518.3 ft long, 92.5 ft wide and 29.5 ft deep vessel, classed by ABS.
“Having already secured orders covering a survey vessel rebuilt in Sweden, and a smaller offshore vessel to be built in Dubai, we have now moved on to the larger end of the BAT capacity scale with this order for Teras,” said Berg Propulsion Sales Director, Asia, Aloysius Hendricks.
Hendricks said the BAT 730 unit worked with propellers of up to 3 m in diameter. The BAT was now available in power ranges of up to 3,200 Kw, he said.
Aimed at the tugboat, workboat and specialised vessels sectors, the BAT can be delivered in both CP and FP propeller versions. Available in L-Drive and Z-Drive versions, it is suitable for either electric motor or diesel engine drives, and works with either an electric or a hydraulic turning mechanism.
Like Berg Controllable Pitch units, the BAT incorporates Berg’s innovative oil circulating system with integrated moisture monitoring, which is claimed to be the first hub system in the world where moisture content is constantly checked across the entire propeller system.