Page 42: of Marine Technology Magazine (June 2019)

Optimized drive: Fred Olsen Ocean’s Brave Tern.

Image: Fred Olsen/Handout bold, given the size of the vessels used. “In marine, people’s lives depend on what you do,” said Par- pala. “In wind, people rely on the quality of what you deliver.

In a highly electrical world, it’s important to have high reli- ability at all times.”

As it happens, that pioneering Fred Olsen vessel — now at work in the U.K — was kitted out by The Switch. Apart from its ample specs and cranes, the Brave Tern employs dynamic positioning that allows the vessels to work around the wind turbines while not anchored.

In 2012 and 2013, The Switch delivered the drives for the propulsion machines of both Brave Tern and the Bold Tern.

During the build by Lamprell shipyard in Dubai, the three motors that came from another supplier were augmented with

The Switch’s delivery of three 3,800 kW propulsor drives; three 2,700 kW tunnel thrusters and, in is understood, a DC

Hub for each vessel.

Future wind-service vessels look set to face an increasing amount of environmental scrutiny and can expect to one day have to operate as hybrids. New wind players are often na- tional grid managers involved in wind precisely for the green footprint. Even established players with roots in oil, like Equi- nor, have been known to insist on greener power from their batteries for higher lifting capacity,” he says, suggesting again marine suppliers.

that future heavier turbine lifts might need that ? exibility.

“Our drives match turbine installation vessels very well,”

Parpala said, explaining that specialized crew carrying ves-

North Sea Giant sels are generally too small for the company’s multi-megawatt

North Sea Shipping Company’s subsea construction vessel, equipment class.

North Sea Giant (built 2011), is a Yaskawa retro? t reference “Generally, we have a good match whenever dynamic po- that recently made headlines for undergoing a conversion that sitioning is required. Our electrical drives and converters are would give it the kind of performance reliability and power ideal for any hybrid vessel, especially when they have DP2 or ef? ciency future wind-service vessels will need.

DP3, which is important for wind-supply vessels. Our drive

When we visited Haugesund, the 18,000 GT North Sea Giant products are already designed and delivered for this. “The bene? ts of using our DC-Hub and (Electronic Bus was doing sea trials with EBLs installed after undergoing a retro? t for its six, 5 MW engines, its DP3 with variable-speed

Link, or EBLs) as well as our power drives is that you can use drive and three hybridizing systems onboard that can deliver

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