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09/30/2014

Wagenborg Walk to Work vessel – Voith propulsion concept ensures precise positioning and high degree of comfort

The new maintenance support vessel (MSV) Kroonborg operated by Dutch shipping company Royal Wagenborg safely transports offshore maintenance and service staff to and from their workplace on platforms or wind turbines in the North Sea. The Walk to Work (W2W) vessel is equipped with two Voith Schneider Propellers VSP 28R5 ECS/234-2 as main propulsion systems and two Voith Inline Thrusters VIT 2000-1000 as bow thrusters as well as with an electronic Voith control system. With this complete Voith propulsion concept, the captain can keep the vessel in its precise position, even in high waves.
Equipped with two VSPs and two VITs, the new W2W vessel can be positioned to the meter next to platforms and wind turbines
The new offshore generation of the Voith Inline Thruster with a central bearing and bronze blades
In addition to the reliability and safety of the vessel, low maintenance and operating costs were a key aspect for Wagenborg. They are ensured by the propulsion concept consisting of VSP, VIT and Voith Roll Stabilization. This concept helps to reduce fuel consumption, thus saving costs while at the same time minimizing the impact on the environment. The combinated system ensures optimum dynamic positioning, thereby increasing operating windows and making the vessel more flexible. Staff members can safety cross from the ship to the drilling platforms or wind turbines, making the “walk to work” safer and the work more productive.

New VIT generation for use as offshore bow thrusters
The Kroonborg is the first vessel to be equipped with the latest generation of Voith Inline Thrusters. For offshore use, the VIT was fitted with a central bearing and bronze blades. With a power range of 750kW to 1.5MW, it is designed for several thousand operating hours a year under the extreme stresses and strains of offshore use. Thanks to its compact design, the VIT can be installed as a bow thruster in slim vessel hulls and can be placed further forward in the bow section, the bulbous bow or in the skeg. The larger lever arm makes it possible to compensate any yaw momentum more effectively. In addition, the propulsion system with its permanently excited synchronous motor is extremely low in noise and vibration emissions. Together with the Voith Roll Stabilization, which compensates for up to 90 percent of vessel roll using the VSPs, the VITs ensure maximum comfort for the vessel crew and service technicians.

W2W vessel in operation in the North Sea as of January 2015
Royal Wagenborg commissioned the Dutch shipyard Niestern Sander to build the W2W vessel. After a construction time of 18 months, the shipyard is scheduled to complete work on the vessel with a length of 79 meters and a beam of 16 meters in late 2014. The W2W vessel can then accommodate 60 people and store chemicals safely for transportation to the platforms. As of January 2015, the Kroonborg will transport passengers and cargo to offshore platforms in the North Sea – safely and efficiently. Before then, Voith already supports the Wagenborg captains by providing simulator training to ensure optimum vessel use right from the start. The Kroonborg will service several destinations en route, thus significantly reducing the helicopter flights required to date and thus also platform maintenance costs.

Voith Turbo, a Group Division of Voith GmbH, is a specialist for intelligent drive solutions and systems. Customers from highly diverse industries such as oil and gas, energy, mining and mechanical engineering, ship technology, rail and commercial vehicles rely on advanced technologies from Voith Turbo.

Voith sets standards in the markets energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transportation & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith employs more than 43 000 people, generates €5.7 billion in sales, operates in over 50 countries around the world and is today one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe.

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Nadine Queiser

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