Page 56: of Marine News Magazine (November 2015)

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PROPULSION

Powerful by Design

Signaling the end of a one-size-? ts-all propulsion approach, Karl Senner’s col- laborative effort with the Shearer Group employs a Steerprop solution designed for a built-for-purpose hull design.

By Joseph Keefe f there is but one trend that has permeated the e inland propulsion markets in recent years, and d

I for all the right reasons, then that would be the e es proliferation of thrusters and/or so-called z-drives tep ep for inland vessels. Taking that trend one giant step the further is the notion that installing thrusters for the sake of ef? ciency can be largely a wasted exercise un-e un- ment are less all aspects of the vessel and associated equipment are l, is wh taken into consideration. And that, in a nutshell, is what w at the industry propulsion veterans at Karl Senner LLC have LLC have land land done in their latest project involving not only naval archi-val archi- but also m a r - tects and marine engineers at the Shearer Group, but also mar- kets takes at-kk the Steerprop azimuth thruster company.

In a unique pushboat design intended to accommodate tention to size, design of the Steerprop solution and also maximize the utility of the equipment and the demands of inland waterways. Senner thrusters / z-drives, Karl Senner, the Shearer Group and adds, “We work closely with all parties during all stages of

Steerprop all look to leverage deep experience with the the design, build, and operation to ensure the best solution for the application. We aim to minimize downtime and

U.S. inland markets as well as proven success and experi- ence with Steerprop in the offshore markets, starting back maintenance for the life of the vessel.”

Over time, Karl Senner has worked with several naval in 2001.

According to Chris Senner, reliability is a key aspect of architects to properly integrate the use of z-drives on the inland waterways in terms of performance, reliability, cost, the Steerprop design. Transitioning that success to the in-

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