Page 38: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 2026)

TECH FEATURE

Due to the additional eight degrees downward tilt of the lower gearbox, the interactions between propulsion unit and hull are reduced.

This results in increased thrust ef? ciency in

DP operation and minimizes forbidden zones.

All images courtesy Schottel

SCHOTTEL SRP-D:

DP-OPTIMIZED RUDDER

PROPELLER FOR OFFSHORE OPS o ensure that wind turbines at sea operate safely, geted manner to external forces such as wind and currents, regular and effective maintenance is essential. Ser- thus achieving a higher positional accuracy of the vessel. vice operation vessels (SOVs) are used to secure this, In addition, the thruster is characterized by a vertically inte- while providing the crew on board with comfortable grated electric drive motor (LE-Drive) which offers a number

T accommodation during multi-day operations. They of signi? cant advantages: the elimination of the upper gear- are often equipped with motion-compensated gangways that box increases mechanical ef? ciency, reduces fuel consump- allow safe crossing between the ship and the offshore plat- tion and also minimizes vibration and noise. In terms of space form. This places particular requirements on the propulsion savings, it scores with a lower installation height and minimal systems: Not only do they have to maintain an exact posi- space requirements, as the L-drive does not require a sepa- tion for hours on end, but it is also necessary to maneuver rately arranged motor including its foundation.

the vessel quickly and precisely, even in in extreme weather

Reduced DP Footprint & Fuel Savings conditions. At the same time, decarbonization targets in the shipping industry are leading to increasing demands for emis- The dynamic properties of the SRP-D have been con? rmed sions reduction and energy ef? ciency. several times by external experts. A study examined the ef- fects of thruster response on DP positioning. The simulation

High Dynamic Thrust Allocation was performed on the numerical model of a real Service Op-

The German propulsion expert Schottel is meeting these eration Vessel (SOV) equipped with Schottel propulsion sys- growing requirements in the offshore sector with a new rudder tems. Its position-holding capabilities were examined under propeller optimized for DP use. The SRP-D ("Dynamic") is a extreme weather conditions: high winds, strong currents and further improved variant for highly demanding DP operations effective wave heights of 2.5m and 3.2. The results of the ex- in service operation vessels. The thruster is marked by an ad- tensive simulations at DNV showed a signi? cantly improved ditional eight-degree tilt of the lower gearbox and improved positioning accuracy thus reducing the overall DP footprint. propeller acceleration/deceleration times. In combination This permits successful gangway landing operations even in with a high-speed azimuth steering system with reinforced rougher conditions, thus increasing the operational window of gear components, the SRP-D enables faster thrust allocation the vessel throughout the year. Furthermore, the implemented than conventional rudder propellers. Thanks to the shorter re- optimizations are expected to result in additional fuel savings: sponse times, it is possible to react faster and in a more tar- Thanks to the faster response time of the propulsion, the ves- 38 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • June 2026

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