Page 46: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 2022)

TECH FEATURE PROPULSION “So in that moment, it was a case of weighing up wheth- er to invest €150,000 to stick with our old system, or spend more money but improve literally everything? We did discuss it at length; but the answer was always obvious.”

CLAUS

HIRSCH

Fleet Manager

AG EMS

Images courtesy AG EMS you have to pay an extra surcharge for steering all the time. It’s a massive piece ‘Far better performance’ more than it would cost to pay for put- of steel, so you’d have to pay out quite

Separate calculations for speeds be- ting passengers up in a hotel, so every- tween 0-25-0 knots, which come under often for replacement bearings and hy- draulics because everything was work- thing is a clear risk for us if we fail to the classi? cation of harbor maneuver- deliver. It’s obviously better for every- ing, also showed an ef? ciency gain of ing so hard to get this big bucket from one if we’re running to schedule.” approximately 25%. The fact that S-4 starboard to port all the time. With the

The economic bene? ts conferred by waterjets feature a completely different S-4, you just have a small nozzle which the S-4 upgrade are also considerable. alignment from their predecessors is a steers with a single cylinder.”

From Kongsberg’s perspective, the “We actually calculated that there has key factor in this outcome, as Claus ac- been a 26% improvement in energy ef? - knowledges. “The captain has to learn replacement of the waterjets neatly ciency – or, looked at another way, a 26% to drive the ship in a totally new way,” upholds and epitomizes several of the reduction in fuel consumption – when he laughs, “because the steering handles company’s core principles: techni- cal innovation, cost-effectiveness, the operating at the same speed achievable work the other way from previously. Es- with the SII waterjets,” Claus adds. “It’s pecially astern. But the interesting thing green agenda and impeccable customer a very nice story that I could go to my is that today, nobody misses the old service. “Nordlicht may be more than 30 years old, but it’s a nicely built and

CEO and say, ‘we did the right thing’. system because we get far better perfor- very well-maintained vessel, so it was

He was already satis? ed, but now he mance from the new waterjets.” gets this 26% improvement: perfect.” Having spent a decade as an engineer obvious that AG EMS would want to

Meanwhile, the claimed 15% im- continue running it for several more with AG EMS before occupying his cur- provement in acceleration was borne rent role as ? eet manager for a further years,” adds Kai Lindenberg, After- out when the S-4s were found to have 10 years, Claus is adamant that the new market Sales Manager at Kongsberg helped Nordlicht reach a speed of 25 steering arrangement is the reason for in Germany. “I’ve been in contact with knots in 39 seconds, as against 46 sec- this marked improvement. “With the Claus for a long time, and when it came onds with the SII waterjets. SII, the complete bucket [assembly] was to Nordlicht’s waterjets, AG EMS was 46 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • April 2022

MR #4 (34-49).indd 46 4/5/2022 11:12:34 AM