Spanish Navy flagship Juan Carlos I would be the first naval vessel to be retrofitted with Azipod propulsors
ABB has secured a breakthrough from Spanish state-owned shipbuilder Navantia that can see the Spanish Navy’s flagship, the LHD Juan Carlos I, retrofitted with {an electrical} propulsion system based mostly on twin ABB Azipod models.
The contract follows a examine undertaken by ABB in 2020 to find out the feasibility of putting in new propulsors on the ship. The examine recognized ABB Azipod as an answer assembly the vessel’s necessities for reliability, effectivity, maneuverability and security.
Due for completion in 2025, the challenge is the primary of its type on a naval ship. Following the commissioning, Juan Carlos I will profit from enhanced effectivity and maneuverability to help its various and demanding naval operations.
“Navantia is proud to make history with the first retrofit of this kind on a naval ship,” stated a Navantia spokesperson. “The ABB Azipod propulsion system has proven to be highly effective in ensuring the optimal capacity of our flagship vessel and we look forward to seeing the benefits in operation.”
“We are proud to see our Azipod propulsion system chosen for this project,” stated Sindre Satre, Business Line Manager, Coast Guard and Navy, ABB Marine & Ports. “We already have a long track record with highly efficient solutions on the commercial market and now see that our technologies are becoming increasingly viable also for naval vessels.”
ABB’s scope of provide for Juan Carlos I contains two Azipod propulsors and medium-voltage drives, with help and upkeep out there regionally from the ABB service middle in Spain and worldwide through ABB’s international service community.
While the order for the Spanish Navy flagship is the primary for the retrofit of an ABB Azipod propulsion system on a naval vessel, the answer has been maximizing ship efficiency within the naval patrol phase for a number of years. In 2019, the Norwegian Coast Guard icebreaker KV Svalbard grew to become the primary Azipod-powered vessel to achieve the North Pole, the place the system’s maneuverability and icebreaking capabilities proved essential.
In its 30-plus years in operation, notes ABB, Azipod propulsion has recorded an availability price of 99.8% and has been proven to chop gasoline consumption by as much as 20% compared with conventional shaftline propulsion methods. The answer’s excessive maneuverability eliminates the necessity for tugs in harbor operations and maximizes security, whereas its design minimizes vibrations, saves house on board and facilitates upkeep in addition to future refits.
