Eekels Elektrotechniek (Eekels), a TBI company, has been asked by Damen Shipyards to supply the electrical equipment for eight platform supply vessels, including the drive systems for propulsion.
From October 2011 to May 2012, Eekels was commissioned by Damen Shipyards Gorinchem to supply the electrical equipment for eight platform supply vessels in the 3300 CD series, including the drive systems for propulsion. All eight vessels will be built for the Norwegian shipping company World Wide Supply (WWS).
At the beginning of 2011, Damen joined forces with Eekels to carry out the projects. Damen started from the idea that the ship’s design must meet its E3 principles, meaning that the design must be environmentally friendly, efficient in operation and economically viable. The vessels can carry 10% more load than vessels with similar propulsion systems and speeds. In addition, various other measures have been taken to lower the environmental impact of the new vessels. They will be fitted out with systems for heat recovery, ballast water treatment and exhaust gas cleaning. The vessels must comply with the guidelines for clean design and environmental protection.
Taking into account the E3 principles, it was decided to opt for diesel-electric propulsion.
The active front end (AFE) frequency converters for propulsion can supply energy to the grid, if necessary. Large transformers are therefore not needed, which saves a lot of weight.
Eekels will supply the generators and switchgear for the propulsion system and the controllers for the main propulsion system and the bow thrusters, including electric motors. In effect, the design philosophy and the tuning of generators, engines and controllers as a whole are carried out by one entity, so that the right choices can be made quickly and effectively on the basis of the calculated total harmonic distortion.
Eekels will also supply all the ship automation systems, including an advanced power management system.
The electrical equipment for the first four vessels and the seventh and eighth will be fitted at Galati by Eekels Romania, a fully-owned subsidiary of Eekels Elektrotechniek. The hulls of the fifth and sixth vessel will be built in the Ukraine and finished at Harlingen, the Netherlands. All the vessels must be delivered by the end of 2013.
[mappress] Press Release, July 20, 2012