Page 32: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 2020)

INTERVIEW DR. DiRk JüRgens, ManageR Of ReseaRCH anD DevelOPMent, vOitH tuRBO MaRine conservative for good reason. Therefore it in the renowned Dutch research institute is a Herculean task to realize the frst ap- “MARIN”. The state-owned ship-owner

Meet Dr. Dirk Jürgens plication of a new technology. For us this then decided together with us that the means convincing the ship-owner that our ferry should be equipped with two large

Dirk Jürgens studied Naval Architec- innovative development works. VSPs (the type VSP 36RV6); the alterna- ture at the University of Rostock from tive would be four smaller VSPs (e.g. the 1983 till 1988. From 1988 until 1993,

We recently featured the new Staten Is- type VSP28). In this way the optimum in he worked as a research assistant at terms of robustness and power effciency land ferries in our pages. When I spoke the University of Rostock and at the could be achieved.

to Jim DeSimone and his team they had

University of Hamburg. In 1994 he fn-

We are always in close contact with the high praise for the Voith solution, as ma- ished his PhD theses about the hydro- state ship-owner and then also with the neuverability and safety are paramount dynamics of Voith Schneider Propellers. shipyard. Also the electronic control of to their operations. Please describe in

From 1993 unti 1999 he worked at the the VSPs and the switching of the gas en- detail this project, and specifcally the

Ship Yard Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as gines (two on each VSP) is realized by us.

Voith units that will be featured on this manager of a R&D group for the devel-

This is done via two very powerful fuid high-profle ferry build program.

opment of propulsion and maneuvering

The Staten Island Ferry has always couplings (Voith Turbo couplings).

devices. Since 1999 Dirk Jürgens has been one of the most important applica- The challenges for the Staten Island been the Manager of Research and De- tions for our propellers. We have been ferry are extremely high, because a large velopment of Voith Turbo Marine.

very committed to ensuring that Voith number of passengers have to be carried,

Schneider Propellers are allowed to drive the ferry can also be exposed to extreme the new three ferries. We have done a lot wind and currents and ice also creates to achieve this, such as carrying out nu- special loads on the propellers. It is pre- merous CFD calculations and actively cisely because of these challenges that the supporting a gigantic model test program VSP is the right propeller.

Photo: Voith Turbo Marine 32 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • April 2020