Page 31: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 2020)

INTERVIEW DR. DiRk JüRgens, ManageR Of ReseaRCH anD DevelOPMent, vOitH tuRBO MaRine best be compensated by the VSP. Together erate a relatively large circulating tank, the state-owned operator. The aim was to with partners, we have advanced the tech- which we constantly use to improve our reduce emissions and to enable largely nology development to such an extent that propellers. fully electric operation.

remote-controlled tractors with VSP can We have a powerful CFD department Our new eVSP enables easy operation be realized. and our own ship handling simulator. Our using batteries, fuel cells or any hybrid

In summer 2020, we are planning a tools are used to improve our propellers solution. With the VIT, we have been in- practical test in Rotterdam with the Car- and especially the ships with our propel- volved in electrifcation for a long time. rousel Rave Tug (CRT) of the Mutraship lers. But effciency improvements and hull shipping company. The current focus is on the development optimizations as well as better DP per-

At the same time, a major research proj- of autonomous Voith vessels, remote-con- formance also contribute signifcantly ect is underway in which we are working trolled Voith tugs, modern CMS technolo- to reducing emissions. The reduction of on a Voith ferry on the river Rhine which gies coupled with artifcial intelligence emissions is a central point of our R&D will sail autonomously. and of course the electrifcation of our activities.

We are making serious improvements propellers. With the VIT, we have been

What do you consider to be the great-to the Voith Schneider Propeller itself. using electric propulsion for more than a

Our biggest step: we are building a high- decade.

est challenge in your job?

quality permanent-magnet electric motor As an R&D manager it is a privilege to

Much talk today in the maritime and directly into the VSP. The fully electrical be in a position to develop technologies

VSP is then called eVSP. It will be a gear- for the future. Our team has developed maritime propulsion world focuses less VSP with a signifcant improvement and launched numerous technical innova- on Emission reductions. How, spe- in effciency and many advantages for tions, such as the Voith Roll Stabilization, cifcally, has this international push to ship owners in terms of economical elec- the Voith Inline Thruster, the application signifcantly reduce greenhouse gas tric drive solutions. of the VSP on offshore support vessels; emissions impacted your work, your

Of course, we have made the VSP suit- currently we are working on autonomous systems?

able for biodegradable oils and tested We are committed to reducing emissions vessels and remote-controlled tugs. them very successfully. through various measures. The new fer- The biggest challenge for me is to make

We have developed improved seals and ries of the Kiel Canal, for example, were the step from technology development to thus extended service intervals by more designed by us in close cooperation with practical implementation. Shipbuilding is than 50%.

To improve the design of our propel- lers for ice loads, we have manufactured a very large VSP model propeller and ftted it with numerous sensors. We then took very detailed measurements of this propeller in the ice tank at the Hamburg

Model Basin (HSVA).

As our propellers are quite different from classic azimuth thrusters, we are mo- tivated to be strongly involved in the op- timization of ship hulls through our CFD activities and have developed modern op- timization technologies. We see ourselves as partners of designers and shipyards for the integration of our propellers and are happy to support them in designing the hull so that it is optimal for Voith Propel- lers.

How is Voith investing today, to ensure that its propulsion solutions are viable for the coming years.

We are known for investing consider- able resources in R&D. As one of the few propeller manufacturers, we actively op- www.marinelink.com 31