Page 51: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 2014)

www.marinelink.com 51 ter’s overall product and service offer- ing. Bekker explained that the compa- ny’s propeller thrusters and Z-drives fi ll the need for slow speed propulsion ap- plications up to about 15 knots, while the waterjet product line expands the manu- facturer’s range, primarily fi lling a fast speed niche for applications of 20-50 knots. Thrustmaster’s propeller thrusters range from 26 to 8,000kW and its water- jets range from 100 to 6,400kW.

The Thrustmaster DOEN waterjet line- up includes: • 100 Series Waterjets are avail- able in seven model sizes ranging from 100kW to 900kW to accom- modate vessels from 6m up to 20m.

Supported by simple mechanical and electronic control system options. • 200 Series Waterjets are avail- able in four model sizes ranging from 400kW to 2,500kW to accom- modate vessels from 15m up to 45m with stainless steel jets supported by a complete range of electronic controls with joystick docking. • 300 Series Waterjets are avail- able in two model sizes ranging from 1,300kW to 4,000kW to accommo- date vessels from 30m up to 60m with stainless steel jets supported by a complete range of electronic controls with joystick docking. • New 400/450 Series Waterjets are available in two model sizes up 6,400kW to accommodate large ves- sels with a complete range of elec- tronic controls with joystick docking.

Thrustmaster’s entire product lineup is designed and manufactured in-house by a complete engineering department for mechanical, hydraulic and electrical design. For 30 years, the company has provided thru-hull azimuthing thrust- ers, deck-mounted propulsion units for barges, retractable thrusters, transverse tunnel thrusters and the patented Porta- ble Dynamic Positioning System to the offshore and marine. “Thrustmaster has been the leading supplier of bow thrusters for Fast Sup- ply Vessels (FSVs) for many years al- ready. The market for FSVs is growing fast, with vessels being built in the U.S.

Gulf of Mexico region, Brazil, France and other areas,” Bekker said, adding, “There is a growing tendency toward powering these vessels with waterjets.”

Bekker continued, “Most of these ves- sels have dynamic positioning (DP) ca- pability. Thrustmaster wants to provide complete propulsion and DP solutions for FSVs by offering waterjets, bow thrusters and control packages from a single source. This reduces risk for the shipyard, facilitates easy integration with the DP system provider and it sim- plifi es and accelerates commissioning, startup and sea trials where one Thrust- master service engineer can do it all. For the vessel operator, it means that they only have to deal with one supplier for repair parts and services.”

Bekker said he also sees promise for U.S. government and military waterjet projects: “Another substantial market for waterjets is the U.S. Government, including the U.S.

Navy,” he said. “Thrustmaster has always had strong ties with the U.S. Navy. Being able to get competitively priced waterjets produced and supported in the U.S.A. is quite attractive to the Navy.”

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