Wärtsilä, the marine industry's leading ship power systems integrator, has signed a Letter of Intent with the renowned Canadian ship design company Robert Allan Ltd. to develop a Strategic Cooperation Agreement. Both Wärtsilä and Robert Allan Ltd. have developed their own plans for modernising and improving tug design, and see significant advantages in co-ordinating their R&D activities in a strategic cooperation.
Vancouver-based Robert Allan Ltd. is a leading specialist designer of tugs and other harbour and coastal vessels. Both parties see market opportunities for advanced tug designs, utilizing improved hull forms and new fully integrated power and propulsion technologies. The aim of the cooperation agreement will be to jointly develop advanced, environmentally sound solutions, resulting in a range of optimized tug designs to be supplied by Wärtsilä for the world market. Evolving emissions regulations will inevitably require the redesign of many vessel types. This is especially true for vessels operating in the proximity of large population centres, as is the case with tugs in ports.
"The economic viability of advanced technical solutions can only come about through an integrated approach. By combining our companies' complementary expertise in ship design and integrated technologies, we believe that such viable solutions can be attained," said Mr. Wilco van der Linden, Director Business Development, Wärtsilä Ship Power.
"Robert Allan Ltd. will provide tug design expertise, and in particular the development of advanced, high-performance hull forms for new designs that will embody Wärtsilä's advanced technical power, energy-conservation and environmental solutions. These complementary capabilities will provide a valuable service to the international tug industry," said Mr. Robert G. Allan, Executive Chairman of Robert Allan Ltd.
Modern tug design
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Madzng
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Re: Modern tug design
The Green Hybrid Tug
One of the solutions Imtech Marine Group (the Netherlands) can offer is the Green Hybrid Propulsion System. Incorporated into a tugboat it will provide a Green Hybrid Tug that will be environmentally friendly, energy efficient and powerful when needed. A tugboat has a very wide range of power demands for different operational tasks. It needs full power when towing or pushing another ship. When sailing high speeds, a large amount of power is needed. But most of the operational time the tugboat will be maneuvering or sailing at low speeds.
In a conventional propulsion system the diesel engines will be chosen on maximum power. But this maximum power will be used not more than 5% of the total operational time. The rest of the time, the tugboat will be using less power, generated at a less energy efficient working point of the diesel engines. To overcome this problem diesel-electric propulsion is a great step forward in saving energy. The supply of power is more in equilibrium with the demand for power than in conventional propulsion systems. With two or three diesel-generator sets, the choice of which sets to run and which sets to stop depends on the demand for power.
To even further close the gap between power demand and power supply, energy storage is needed. An energy storage system build with high-energy lithium-ion battery banks can store the efficiently generated energy when not needed. The diesel-generator sets can run either very efficiently, storing a surplus of energy into the batteries or not run at all. When extra power is needed or the diesels are not running at all, the energy can be taken from the batteries to provide power for the propulsion system.
With large direct diesel engines the storage of excess energy is done with a shaft generator and a lithium-ion battery system. The parallel hybrid propulsion system can be extended by coupling diesel-generator sets to the energy storage system and to the shaft generator. The main direct diesels can be stopped by the use of a clutch. A calculated choice can be made in the amount of direct diesel power, the amount of diesel-electric power and the amount of battery energy storage installed to provide a very efficient propulsion system.
One of the solutions Imtech Marine Group (the Netherlands) can offer is the Green Hybrid Propulsion System. Incorporated into a tugboat it will provide a Green Hybrid Tug that will be environmentally friendly, energy efficient and powerful when needed. A tugboat has a very wide range of power demands for different operational tasks. It needs full power when towing or pushing another ship. When sailing high speeds, a large amount of power is needed. But most of the operational time the tugboat will be maneuvering or sailing at low speeds.
In a conventional propulsion system the diesel engines will be chosen on maximum power. But this maximum power will be used not more than 5% of the total operational time. The rest of the time, the tugboat will be using less power, generated at a less energy efficient working point of the diesel engines. To overcome this problem diesel-electric propulsion is a great step forward in saving energy. The supply of power is more in equilibrium with the demand for power than in conventional propulsion systems. With two or three diesel-generator sets, the choice of which sets to run and which sets to stop depends on the demand for power.
To even further close the gap between power demand and power supply, energy storage is needed. An energy storage system build with high-energy lithium-ion battery banks can store the efficiently generated energy when not needed. The diesel-generator sets can run either very efficiently, storing a surplus of energy into the batteries or not run at all. When extra power is needed or the diesels are not running at all, the energy can be taken from the batteries to provide power for the propulsion system.
With large direct diesel engines the storage of excess energy is done with a shaft generator and a lithium-ion battery system. The parallel hybrid propulsion system can be extended by coupling diesel-generator sets to the energy storage system and to the shaft generator. The main direct diesels can be stopped by the use of a clutch. A calculated choice can be made in the amount of direct diesel power, the amount of diesel-electric power and the amount of battery energy storage installed to provide a very efficient propulsion system.
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Madzng
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Re: Modern tug design
SVITZER orders two ECO-tugs
As the industry leader within towage and emergency response SVITZER continues to look for opportunities to minimize its environmental footprint.
SVITZER’s environmental plan focuses on three elements:
- Fuel efficiency program
- New tug design
- Alternative fuels
As part of this plan SVITZER set a target for the CO2 emissions of the company to be reduced by 1% each year through the years 2008-2012.
In pursuit of emission reductions SVITZER has just placed the first order for two environmental friendly tugs. The new tug design incorporates a number of new innovative technologies.
Environmentally safe, financially sound
"We are pleased to be amongst the pioneers of environmental friendly tug design. SVITZER has a long history of putting cutting-edge technologies to commercial use and our ECO-tug design is yet another example of this". CEO Jesper T. Lok concludes:
"Whereas the ECO-tug is a more expensive tug to build we believe that it will be a commercial success and "going green" makes good business sense".
Tugs of the future
Head of Group New Building Esben H Grundtvig explains:
"Developing a tug for the future, we were given a clear mandate regarding the ECO-tug:
- Apply the latest technology to minimize emissions
It took us two years to optimize the design and I am happy to say that the ECO-tug will make a real difference.
The new design differs in two significant ways:
- It is diesel electric
- It incorporates SCR (selective catalyst reaction) and particulate filter
This way we expect to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 by some 10% and NOx by 70-80%".
As the industry leader within towage and emergency response SVITZER continues to look for opportunities to minimize its environmental footprint.
SVITZER’s environmental plan focuses on three elements:
- Fuel efficiency program
- New tug design
- Alternative fuels
As part of this plan SVITZER set a target for the CO2 emissions of the company to be reduced by 1% each year through the years 2008-2012.
In pursuit of emission reductions SVITZER has just placed the first order for two environmental friendly tugs. The new tug design incorporates a number of new innovative technologies.
Environmentally safe, financially sound
"We are pleased to be amongst the pioneers of environmental friendly tug design. SVITZER has a long history of putting cutting-edge technologies to commercial use and our ECO-tug design is yet another example of this". CEO Jesper T. Lok concludes:
"Whereas the ECO-tug is a more expensive tug to build we believe that it will be a commercial success and "going green" makes good business sense".
Tugs of the future
Head of Group New Building Esben H Grundtvig explains:
"Developing a tug for the future, we were given a clear mandate regarding the ECO-tug:
- Apply the latest technology to minimize emissions
It took us two years to optimize the design and I am happy to say that the ECO-tug will make a real difference.
The new design differs in two significant ways:
- It is diesel electric
- It incorporates SCR (selective catalyst reaction) and particulate filter
This way we expect to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 by some 10% and NOx by 70-80%".
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conrod
- Engineering Mentor
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:10 pm
- Currently located: Nanoose Bay BC, Canada
Re: Modern tug design
There is a lot more to " Green Tugs " than is currently advertised. Its like the Prius and the Hummer ? The most environmentally friendly is the Hummer. The best way to provide a tug with better impact, is to make exisiting power trains more efficient. Other wise its just posturing.