The Dutch shipbuilding company Damen and the museum yacht “Art Explora” recently celebrated the commissioning of the first B-Shore power converter in Malta.
Damen announced the development of this converter series in October 2022 in partnership with Mc Energy. The B-Shore offers a solution for the frequency fluctuations of shore power, adapts to any shore installation and ensures a connection to shore power anytime and anywhere, Damen said.
The “Art Explorer” yacht is one of the largest sailing catamarans in the world and a museum ship. The 47-meter-long ship was designed by architects Axel de Beaufort and Guillaume Verdier. It belongs to a private owner and is loaned to the “Art Explora” foundation for six months of the year, which will be used as a museum. For the rest of the year, the ship will be used for charter and private purposes.
Damen B-Shore solves problems with unstable nets
Due to the dual function of the yacht, a clear electrical separation was made between the hotel and museum areas. “Art Explora’s” system architect, Guy Butterati, said: “Due to weight restrictions, it was not possible to install a second galvanic isolation for the museum system on board the yacht. We also have plans to present the yacht as a museum beyond the borders of Europe. In this new environment, a less stable electrical network is expected. The Damen B-Shore is the ideal solution for us to overcome these problems.”
Tom Busse, Project Manager at Damen Services, added: “The plug-and-play concept of the B-Shore is very practical. Connecting and activating it is not a major challenge for the average electrical engineer. The activation of the B-Shore went smoothly on the first try, so we are satisfied, but more importantly, our customer is satisfied.”
According to Damen, the commissioning of the first B-Shore power converter is a significant milestone in the field of sustainable energy management for maritime operations.
