The German propulsion manufacturer Schottel has received an order to supply rudder propellers for two new LNG bunker vessels of the Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG).
The ships, each with a loading capacity of 20,000 m3, are currently under construction at the Chinese shipyard Jiangnan Shipyard and are scheduled for delivery in April 2027.
LNG bunker vessels will operate alongside large ships during ship-to-ship bunkering. They therefore require a reliable propulsion system that ensures precise maneuverability. Even in difficult weather conditions, these ships must be able to perform their tasks efficiently. Two SRP 460 LE rudder propellers, which Schottel says are optimally designed for tasks such as these, are one of the ways to ensure this.
Ships run fully electrically
In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the newbuilds rely on a fully electric propulsion system. The SRPs are therefore installed in the LE drive variant (“embedded L-drive”). With its vertically integrated electric drive motor, this design does not require an upper gearbox, which results in higher mechanical efficiency, lower energy consumption and reduced vibration and noise levels, according to Schottel.
The low installation height also enables particularly compact integration into the ship. Furthermore, the SRPs are equipped with Schottel’s ProAnode corrosion protection system, which lowers energy consumption, reduces operating costs and extends the protection period thanks to optimized hydrodynamic flow properties.
In addition, both vessels will be equipped with MariHub, the drive manufacturer’s IoT gateway and monitoring solution. The system collects and analyzes data from sensors, machines and other components to enable condition-based maintenance and thus increase the operational safety of the ships.
