Special Ships

Anchoring buoys in exactly the right position requires the utmost precision when maneuvering the buoy tender. No matter how strong  the wind, how heavy the waves or how variable the currents: The vessel must be able to keep its exact position out at sea until the work is done.

A task for which Voith Schneider Propellers (VSP) are ideally suited. Many buoy tenders therefore use two VSPs at the stern or one at the bow and one at the stern. In each case, the propulsion system arrangement is tailored to the specific tasks and dimensions of the vessel.

Using Voith Schneider Propellers for buoy tender propulsion facilitates the installation of marker buoys for many reasons:

• The excellent vessel maneuverability ensures precise positioning of the buoys.
• The VSPs allow the vessel to keep its exact position for as long as necessary.
• All necessary maneuvers such as turning on the spot or traversing can be carried out.
• An additional bow steering device is not required.
• All sites where work must be carried out can be reached promptly.

Close to shore in particular, captains use shipping lanes for orientation. The boundaries of these lanes are marked by buoys anchored to the ground and visible from afar. Such visible warnings also indicate shallows or straits.

Unpowered barges are frequently combined to form so-called tows and are used to transport cargo such as coal or iron ore. One vessel pushes all of the barges that make up a tow. These tows are unwieldy, sluggish and difficult to maneuver through river bends. This is where the Bow Steering Module (BSM) comes in. The BSM is an assistance boat. Driven by two Voith Schneider Propellers, its large steering forces can provide valuable maneuvering help at various points of the tow. BSMs are generally positioned at the front of a tow. Some of them are even remote-controlled and unstaffed.

With the help of a BSM, tows can maneuver faster, safer and more accurately. The use of a BSM on a tow can result in time savings of up to 30%.

While doing so, most of them are on firm ground with their position unchangeable. Floating cranes however do the same work but operate on water. Their positioning can thus change.

Floating cranes have many areas of use: General salvage work, installation and maintenance of wind turbines, loading and unloading heavy goods or repair work are but examples of their various fields of application. The platforms are located in ports or out at sea. In both cases precise maneuvering to its destination is essential for the floating crane. Once there, it must keep its position without lashing ropes or tugs being required.

With one VSP at the stern and another VSP with a slight diagonal offset at the bow of these pontoon-shaped vessels, these maritime workhorses are perfectly equipped to maneuver precisely and safely. Not to mention their ability to keep their position unaided. This allows work to be carried out faster and saves time.