Page 43: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 2004)

Propulsion Technology delivering 12,640 kW at 127 rpm. One transverse thruster was installed in the bow of the ship.

The conversion was carried out at

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South

Korea, and included increasing the breadth of the ship from 137.8 to 206.7 ft. (42 to 63 m). With an enormous unobstructed deck area of 11,227 sq. m., the Blue Marlin is now the largest semi- submersible vessel in the world. The deadweight of the vessel is 78,000 tons.

World's Largest

Bulker in for Fix

Machine Support B.V. recently completed an stern tube alignment job on what is touted to be the world's largest dry bulk carrier, Berge Stahl, which is a 1,125-ft. (343 m) long and 213.2 ft. (65 m) wide ship that can hold 360,000 tons of iron ore. The carrier is fully dependent on the port of Rotterdam, since this is the only port on the European continent that this ship can access with its 75 ft. (23 m) draft.

The main diesel engine is three story high Hyundai - B&W 7L90MCE.

Circle 65 on Reader Service Card enabling the vessel to transport heavy structures weighing up to 73,000 tons.

With its new dimensions Blue Marlin is able to transport heavier and ultra-large floating production and drilling plat- forms and larger semi-submersible drilling units.

The propulsion requirements for the much larger vessel were investigated in model tests at MARIN in the

Netherlands. In the sea-keeping tests it became clear that the vessel required more thrust to operate safely, especially in adverse weather conditions. Wiirtsila won the contract to supply three

Wiirtsila 8L32 generating sets and two electrically driven Lips retractable thrusters in September 2002.

The first commitment for the Blue

Marlin in this top segment of the heavy transport market has already been made.

In the summer of 2004 the Blue Marlin will transport an ultra large and heavy semi-submersible Production Drilling and Quarters unit with a length of 163.8 m, a width of 125.89 m, a height of 129.1 m and a weight of approx. 60,000 tons. In addition the new vessel will be able to transport and dry-dock even larg- er semi-submersible and jack-up drilling rigs than have been possible in the past.

Circle 47 on Reader Service Card

Hard work?

After the main engine, you rely on each drive-line component to keep going - torsional coupling, gearbox, shafting, bearings and propeller - as well as the control systems.

ZF Marine offers a wide range of gearboxes for all types of vessels and Diesel engines from 10 to 10.000 kW, together with controllable pitch or fixed pitch propellers and associated drive-line components.

Purchasing from a single source, has obvious technical and commercial advantages. You can rely on ZF Marine's expert assistance throughout the ship design phase, ensuring a fully integrated propulsion system which exactly meets your requirements and provides optimum ship performance. Also, throughout the ship's working life, ZF Marine's worldwide service network is at your disposal around the clock.

ZF Marine supplies high quality, reliable equipment - which ship owners and crew need for the safe and efficient operation of their vessel under the hardest operating conditions.

Minimum down-time, means maximum profits!

Marine Propulsion Systems

ZF Industries Inc.

ZF Marine Gulf Coast Office

Tel: 504 443-0501

Fax: 504 443-0504 info.zfmarineneworleans@zf com www.ZF-M,trine com

ZF Marine keeps you going!

Driveline and Chassis Technology

Circle 271 on Reader Service Card

May 2004 39