Page 64: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2015)

WORKBOAT ANNUAL

PROPULSION

Caterpillar Adds Azimuth

Thrusters to Tug Package aterpillar Propulsion earlier (MTA) is the ? rst model in what will this year introduced a ‘new’ become a new family of rotatable units thruster package for the optimized for tug operations, with an

Cworkboat market, initially initial unit expected to be delivered into geared toward the harbor and terminal tug a commercial trial by the end of 2015.

market but eventually to the inland ? eet The new range has been engineered to as well. At Norshipping in Oslo Anders optimize performance when working as

Bergh, M.Sc. Sales Manager, Caterpillar part of an integrated propulsion train and

Marine, explained that the new Caterpil- will be made available through the Cat lar thruster in reality already has nearly a dealer network. The complete package decade of experience on the water. “Berg for tugs will include engines, high speed

Propulsion, before it was Caterpillar Pro- shafting, controls and clutches. The pulsion, launched an azimuth thruster MTA’s consoles will display and control seven or eight years ago, a very success- engine and thruster functionality ful launch of a new product,” Bergh said “We looked at it from the tug opera-

In fact the original azimuth thruster tor’s point of view and thought of the tug was designed for the demanding off- master sitting on the bridge,” said Bergh. shore/dynamic positioning market, ves- “The ? rst thing we did was integrate the sels that run at full load a large percent- engine panel with the propulsion panel, age of the time, meaning it was larger, helping to save space on the bridge.” heavier and more expensive than some- While the marine package is slimmed thing one might ? nd on a workboat. down from its offshore brethren, it is still “That’s not what a tug operator needs,” packed with ‘the good stuff’ according said Bergh. “What we’re doing now is to Bergh, including a condition based bringing an altered version of the azi- monitoring system that can monitor and muth thruster that is suited for tug opera- report the condition of the unit’s lubrica- tors – harbor and terminal tugs that have tion, for example.

an operational pro? le that calls for low Caterpillar Propulsion has made sim- load for most of the time, with bursts of pli? ed installation and easy access for activity. That product is designed differ- maintenance priorities as part of the new ently in terms of dimensions and safety thruster development, without compro- margins, because it needs to come down mising the conservative design princi- in weight in price.” ples on which it has built its reputation.

In targeting the tug market Bergh not- The clutch and the mechanical PTO will ed that while Caterpillar engines own be contained in a single unit, while the

Anders Bergh, M.Sc., a dominant share of market, until now thruster and engine assembly can also be it did not have a thruster product that it installed as a complete unit.

Sales Manager, could package as a turnkey solution. Ultimately, up to six different sizes

Caterpillar Marine

The 60 metric ton bollard pull Cat will be available to cover a wide range

Propulsion Marine Thruster Azimuth of tugs.

64 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • NOVEMBER 2015

MR #11 (58-65).indd 64 11/2/2015 11:25:45 AM