The German propulsion specialist Schottel has been selected by the Spanish Gondan shipyard to supply the propulsion system for the multi-purpose vessel “Pole Star”. It will be deployed in Scotland.
The “Pole Star” is the newest ship in the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) fleet and will operate around the Isle of Man in future. There it will be used for hydrographic measurements as well as maintenance and service work on buoys and lighthouses. The ship was built in Spain, while the propulsion systems come from Germany.
“The Schottel solution was offered as part of an overall package from the Gondan shipyard, which was awarded the contract to build the Pole Star in an open tender process,” said Phil Day, Director of Operations at NLB. They are delighted to be able to use the equipment and plan a partnership that will last for the lifetime of the vessel.
According to Schottel, the “Pole Star” requires a reliable propulsion system that supports high maneuverability for its area of operation. This is why two SRP 460 LE “RudderPropellers” and two STT 2 “TransvereThrusters” were chosen. “This propulsion configuration offers a high degree of system redundancy and therefore significantly increases the reliability and operational safety of the ship,” the company said. “It enables the ‘Pole Star’ to make full use of its advanced dynamic positioning (DP) capability, ensuring precise positioning even under demanding operating conditions.”
Less fuel, higher efficiency
As part of NLB’s commitment to efficiency and sustainability, both SRPs are installed in the LE-Drive variant (“embedded L-Drive”). The vertically integrated electric drive motor makes the upper gearbox superfluous, which increases mechanical efficiency, reduces fuel consumption and minimizes vibrations and noise levels. Its low installation height also enables compact integration into the ship. To further reduce noise and vibrations, the STTs are designed with an elastically mounted well installation, which noticeably increases comfort on board. This design also allows the drives to be inspected within the thruster room for maintenance purposes.
In addition, the drives are equipped with the Schottel LeaCon seal monitoring system to meet stringent environmental requirements. The system is type-approved by DNV and is designed to ensure safe protection against marine contamination from lubricating oil. LeaCon also monitors the condition of the seals so that operational wear can be detected at an early stage and unscheduled maintenance work can be avoided.
The new “Pole Star” replaces the fourth ship of the same name, which has now reached the end of its service life. Built at the Gondan shipyard, the new vessel is said to be characterized by improved seakeeping performance, safer and more efficient buoy handling as well as towing and firefighting capabilities. In addition, the ship has improved accommodation for the crew and has ecological advantages over its predecessors.
