Page 67: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 2001)

NorShipping Report (continued from page 59) poorly suited to individual shipowners' requirements.

In the cruise ship sector, one of the main reasons for increased demand for thruster capacity is the growing require- ment for better position keeping capa- bility. Often this is because anchoring restrictions prevent the use of tradition- al means of maintaining a ship in posi- tion, leading to increased use of azimuthing propulsion units and larger bowthrusters.

In other sectors of the shipping indus- try, such as offshore supply vessels and cable layers, additional thruster capacity greatly enhances position keeping, pro- viding a redundant propulsion capabili- ty, and reducing operating costs.

The most important factor in selecting the proper thrusters, said Andresen, is that the thruster or thrusters are matched to its operating requirement. Some ships may use their thrusters routinely, almost on a daily basis; but on board other types of vessel, although the thrusters may be rarely used, they need to be designed to a very high, demanding specification which can't be met with low cost, off- the-shelf products.

Brunvoll has also gained an enviable reputation for its retractable thrusters, which continue to be especially popular in the offshore market, particularly on shuttle tankers, cable layers and multi- purpose offshore support vessels.

In keeping with the company's empha- sis on innovation and on meeting specif- ic customer requirements, Brunvoll has also developed retractable thrusters designed both for use when lowered and when retracted.

A typical application is on board a shuttle tanker, where rolling motions can cause a conventional tunnel thruster to draw air if they break the surface in bad weather, preventing them from maneuvering precisely enough to load safely at sea. This problem is overcome, however, when a retractable thruster is lowered beneath the ship.

Circle 61 on Reader Service Card

Unitor Unveils Range Of

Welding Machines

In response to changing market requirements, Unitor has enhanced and expanded its range of shipboard welding machines for onboard repair and main- tenance use, with two new inverters and three upgraded units.

Unitor can now provide vessel opera- tors and ship's crews with hardware that meets every onboard welding require- ment, from the simplest weld to the most complicated and demanding steel repair job.

The new range of welding machines from Unitor comprises: • UWI 140 — an upgraded machine ideal for daily onboard maintenance work • UWI 200 — a new, compact, portable welding inverter for cost-con- scious users • UWI 400 — an upgraded powerful, high capacity, portable welding inverter • UWR 303 — a new welding rectifi- er offering ship's crews an alternative to welding inverter technology • UPC 838 — an upgraded powerful, portable plasma cutter

Circle 62 on Reader Service Card

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Circle 273 on Reader Service Card www.maritimereporterinfo.com

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Circle 206 on Reader Service Card www. maritimereporterinfo. com 59 July, 2001

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