China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) took  taken delivery of Asia’s first tugboat Hai Yang Shi You 525, designed to operate solely on liquefied natural gas as ship’s fuel in July this year.

Hai Yang Shi You 525, the first of two tugs built by the Zhenjiang shipyard for CNOOC, features a propulsion package based on twin Rolls-Royce Bergen C26:33L9PG engines and a pair of highly reliable Rolls-Royce US 255 CP azimuth thrusters to ensure the tugs have rapid manoeuvring and strong bollard pull capabilities.

A successful sea trial has proven an extra gain for both ship speed and bollard pull.

Richard Wang, Rolls-Royce, Senior Vice President – Commercial Marine, said: “We are proud to be powering Asia’s first gas-powered tug so shortly after delivering Borgøy, the world’s first LNG-powered tug, to Norwegian owner Buksèr og Berging.

“This order marks a new era for tugboat propulsion technology in China. As its shipbuilding industry shifts focus from standard designs to more sophisticated tonnage, more owners and operators will see the benefit of using cleaner, more efficient fuelling solutions for their vessels.”

John Knudsen, Rolls-Royce, President – Commercial Marine, said: “We congratulate CNOOC and the Zhenjiang shipyard on the completion of Asia’s first gas-powered tug. China is one of the world’s largest importers of natural gas and already has the LNG infrastructure in place. This is a pioneering project in Asia and its success has been dependent on the excellent cooperation between CNOOC, Shanghai Bestway Engineering, Zhenjiang Shipyard and Rolls-Royce.”

The decision to operate on LNG follows the Chinese government’s 2011 plan to strengthen its maritime base with the manufacture of high-end, ecologically-efficient ships and technology.

The Bergen C26:33 gas engines reduce CO2 emissions by 25 per cent and NOx emissions by up to 90 per cent. Oxides of sulphur and particulate are also removed, minimising emissions along coasts and inland waterways.

Rolls-Royce Powers the World’s Longest Journey by LNG at Sea

A Rolls-Royce pure-gas engine has propelled Nor Lines’ Kvitbjørn entered the history books when it became the world’s first vessel to sail from  Tsuji Heavy Industries shipyard in Jiangsu, China  to Bergen, Norway fuelled solely on liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the ship’s bunker fuel.

Kvitbjørn’s naming ceremony in Stavanger celebrates Nor Lines’ 5000dwt short sea cargo vessel, built to Rolls-Royce’s award-winning Environship concept.

The ship sailed to Norway from Tsuji Heavy Industries shipyard in Jiangsu, China, via Singapore, and subsequently LNG bunkerings in Cochin, India and Cartagena, Spain. This was the longest voyage ever undertaken by a vessel running solely on LNG and was completed in Bergen on 29 March.

Tor Arne Borge, Nor Lines, CEO said: “The success of the voyage from Asia to Europe on LNG not only confirms the energy-saving and emissions-reduction attributes of Rolls-Royce’s pure gas engine but provides evidence to owners of larger tonnage that LNG is not just for short sea coastal ships. The Environship concept with the Bergen engine has exceeded all our expectations.”

The Environship, which can be adapted for different ship types, incorporates a range of Rolls-Royce technologies to deliver efficiency savings for ship owners. These include a Bergen engine powered by LNG, the Promas combined rudder and propeller, a hybrid shaft generator to optimise use of electrical power and an innovative wave-piercing hull design. The combined technologies that make the Environship concept reduces CO2 emissions by up to 40 per cent compared to similar diesel powered vessels, dependent on operational profile.

Oscar Kallerdahl, Rolls-Royce, Sales Manager- LNG Systems, said: “The realisation of Kvitbjørn is a significant milestone in the shipping industry’s fundamental transition from diesel fuel to LNG. It is important to note that the Bergen B35:40 gas engine is not a dual-fuel engine. A pure gas engine and shaft generator driving a controllable pitch propeller is the most effective configuration for keeping emissions low and improving fuel consumption.”

This arrangement is coupled with a hybrid shaft generator for electric Power Take In (PTI) which ensures flexibility and redundancy of the system when needed. John Knudsen, Rolls-Royce, President- Commercial Marine, said: “We congratulate Nor Lines on the delivery of Kvitbjørn, and wish the company every success in their future steps towards a greener shipping industry. The success of this historic delivery voyage will give encouragement to those customers looking to embrace more environmentally friendly ship designs and technology.”

Kvitbjørn is about to enter operation delivering cargo in ports between Hamburg, the Netherlands and the Norwegian mainland’s most Northern city, Hammerfest. Nor Lines expects to take delivery of sister ship Kvitnos in June

One of the keys to lower operating costs for ships in the future will be the opportunity to effectively harness the mass of operating data into a central system to measure, analyse, provide decision support and automatically control different functions and services onboard.

Ships now contain more and increasingly complex equipment whilst crews get smaller. Therefore automation levels are increasing, and the more complex systems are using smarter user interfaces such as the Rolls-Royce Unified Bridge concept. 

There is also a real need for intelligent systems that can run themselves, with the crew becoming supervisors, concentrating on managing the exceptions when they arise and reviewing decisions with human experience machines just don’t have.

Technologies that enable experts on land to be placed in the centre of problems onboard are already with us. Developing technologies like augmented reality are also likely to play a bigger role.

Oskar Levander, Vice President Innovation is a speaker at the Senior Maritime Forum on 30 November. Here he shares his views for the future of ship intelligence.

We are now in an era where we have the ability to look at the bigger picture, embracing everything that impacts on a vessel’s ability to generate revenue – the era of ship intelligence. We are using many tools to measure, analyse, provide decision support and to automatically control different functions and services onboard, but they are not designed to work together, so the benefits one system can get from using the ‘intelligence’ from the others is not being utilised.

As systems have evolved we have become much better at equipment health and condition monitoring (CMS) and optimising onboard energy use. Systems that provide condition monitoring, energy optimisation, weather routing, interactive chart displays and power management are helping us sail and maintain vessels more efficiently. Individual vessels are benefitting and some fleet operators are rolling these systems out across the total fleet.

Ships now contain more and more equipment that is increasingly complex. Ballast water treatment systems and exhaust gas treatment are just two additions crews will have to manage in the future. As crews get smaller they will not be able to cope with everything. Therefore automation levels are increasing, and the more complex systems are using smarter user interfaces. The Unified Bridge from Rolls-Royce discussed on page ten is a good example.

So there is a need for intelligent systems that can run themselves, with the crew becoming supervisors, concentrating on managing the exceptions when they arise and reviewing decisions with the human experience machines don’t have. The technologies that enable experts on land to be placed in the centre of problems onboard are already with us, and developing technologies such as augmented reality are also likely to play a bigger role.

Ships are bombarded with information from multiple sources. Electronic Chart Display & Information Systems (ECDIS) and Automated Identity Systems (AIS) are just two of them. Intelligent systems will move us from equipment level to system level and will be capable of differentiating between important data that requires some action, and routine data that is just building the operational picture. They can then make the decisions to the level programmed, managing the other events by exception.

IBM’s supercomputer Watson has already demonstrated how vast amounts of data can be used to make informed predictions better than humans in certain medical fields, and is now being offered to businesses to help with complex investment predictions. Ship intelligence will help bring this capability onboard.

But these systems will not develop overnight, it will be a step-by-step approach, and they will not develop themselves. Software parameters need to be set, to select which data sets are deemed to be running normally and what gets identified for escalation. Therefore ship intelligence will be a key technology area for us in the near future – not just the technology, but the role it can play in our products and systems.

Near term

There is a possibility certain functions will move onshore. We are already becoming more reliant on pilotless drones and unmanned underwater vehicles; therefore the number of non-safety related tasks undertaken by crews is likely to reduce. A logical start point would be payload systems, which could be updated in logical steps to reach unmanned operation, where all systems work together.

Ship intelligence will make greater use of CMS and sensors located around the ship, to make the crew aware of what is happening around them, for example in hull stresses and the performance of all the systems, which will help identify the best speed for the conditions.

Fatigue onboard can also be a problem. Therefore systems that monitor crew activities may well become more commonplace. Data will then be available for analysis and comparison, and can be utilised with discretion to improve crew effectiveness and identify training needs.

Ready for change

More people are now accepting the case for increased automation, but some see it as a threat. As with any introduction it will be gradual, so the need for smaller crews will be slow. Many captains now at sea would welcome the chance of going ashore if they could continue to operate vessels, so it may well aid retention.

As ships become smarter, they become safer, helping tackle one of the industry’s biggest issues, the safety record. With human error responsible for more than 75 per cent of today’s vessel accidents, that is good news.

Ship intelligence will be the enabler for machines to do some of the jobs done by humans today, and it may well do them better and more safely.

The Rolls-Royce Unified Bridge concept, which went into service on the Stril Luna in 2014, is at the forefront of bridge design.

The Unified Bridge represents a new ergonomic approach to all the activity required on the bridge of a vessel by adapting a physical working environment to a person’s natural movements. 

Watchkeepers are provided with a functional and easy-to-use human /machine interface with well-placed control levers and touchscreens to control systems that display their status in the most logical way.

The Unified Bridge has already been ordered for a number of UT vessels scheduled for delivery during 2015 – 16 and is a striking example of the role good design plays in harnessing technology to improve operator performance, simplicity and safety.

Try your hand at using the Unified Bridge thanks to Virtual Reality technology on the Rolls-Royce stand at N2J41 Hall N2

Three years in development, the Unified Bridge was first fitted to the UT 776 WP Stril Luna, owned by Simon Møkster Shipping, which entered service during 2014. It presents a physical working environment adapted to a person’s natural movements, a new ergonomic approach to all the activity required on the bridge of a vessel. Watchkeepers are provided with a functional and easy-to-use human/machine interface with well-placed control levers and touchscreens to control systems that display their status in the most logical way.

The Unified Bridge has already been ordered for a number of other UT vessels scheduled for delivery during 2015-16 and is a striking example of the role good design plays in harnessing technology to improve operator performance, simplicity and safety.

Rolls-Royce, working with the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Aalto University of Finland, is now setting out a vision for a future ‘intelligent bridge’ that could be a reality by 2025. It is known as the Future Operator Experience Concept, or oX. It offers the crew smart workstations, which automatically recognize individuals when they walk on to the bridge, and adjusts to their own preferences.

Enhanced ergonomics

It not only provides the crew with smart workstations, but also augmented reality bridge window displays that provide much more detail of the vessel’s surroundings and potential hazards than normally visible to the eye. The system can, for example, identify sea ice, tugs and other vessels that may not be visible to the crew, especially if they are on the bridge of a large container ship.

The oX concept is a response to the increasing complexity of equipment now being fitted to ships. As crew levels reduce and automation levels increase, there is a need for smarter interfaces to help them.

It is just one example of ship intelligence.

“The need is for intelligent systems that can run themselves, with the crew becoming supervisors, concentrating on managing the exceptions when they arise,” says Iiro Lindborg, Development Project Manager for the oX concept.

“The supervisory role provides the necessary input of human experience machines just don’t have. The technologies that enable experts on land to be inserted into problems onboard already exist, so developing technologies such as augmented reality are likely to play a bigger role.”

A notable focus is applicability to unmanned vessels, which is where the industry could be headed if technical, legal and cultural challenges can be overcome, with proven safeguards for communication channels.

Today, most onboard equipment and sub systems function in isolation. Rolls-Royce is planning to take the lead in changing that. Ships are becoming much more complex. There are already ECDIS and dynamic positioning, health monitoring and decision support systems. Operating the ship can be aided by automated reporting.

What these technologies have in common is that they automate tasks previously done manually, a trend that is set to continue as availability of competent crew declines. Finding new and improved ways of doing things is vital for continued safe operation and ultimately profitability.

Intelligent ship systems will help make sense of the vast amount of information coming from multiple sources. They will be capable of determining what information is important and requires action and what is just routine data, which can be stored and used to build a detailed picture of the vessel’s operating profile.

Harnessing data

The Marine Services team, headed by Andy Marsh, President, undertakes the task of transforming this data from different sources into commercially viable systems.

“We already collect a lot of data onboard – the trick is pulling it together to extrapolate trends,” says Andy. “Detecting unusual stresses in thrusters is useful, but combining it with sea-state and other environmental parameters gives us a lot more insight into what brought them about. We have deployed data logging on a variety of vessels, but most experience has been with high value offshore vessels. On one anchorhandler, we are logging some 15 gigabytes of data each day.

“This approach reflects the way Rolls-Royce operates in the aerospace sector, where some 13,000 gas turbines are operating, with nearly 75 per cent covered by longterm service arrangements. We have moved engine maintenance from the operator back to the manufacturer, so there is a lot of real-time monitoring going on. So we have a clear view of how the engines are operating and any decisions regarding managing operational issues or maintenance can be made very quickly.”

In both aviation and marine, this data can be used as input for R&D activities. The performance of new products can be evaluated in the field, and it can be used in the vessel design process to optimise propulsion system configurations, based on actual operational experience. For the marine sector, Rolls-Royce is undertaking research in developing sensors for harsh environments which can communicate across watertight boundaries.

“We are entering a truly exciting period in the history of shipping, where technology and in particular the smart use of Big Data is going to drive the next generation of ships,” adds Iiro Lindborg. ”Over the next ten to 20 years we believe ship intelligence is going to be the driving force that will determine the future of the industry, the types of ships at sea, and the competence levels required of tomorrow’s crew.”

The latest azimuthing thruster design from Rolls-Royce, featuring the company’s permanent magnet (PM) technology, was launched at the Nor-Shipping exhibition this year. Based on the rim drive principle in which the motor surrounds the propeller, the thruster is a compact and efficient unit and power output is increased by around 25% from the same propeller size.

Two PM azimuth thrusters have been installed on the  the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) research ship Gunnerus, based in Trodheim, as a technology demonstrator. Testing will continue through 2015.

Gunnerus is 31.25m long vessel owned and operated by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), based in Trondheim, and equipped to carry out research in the fields of biology, technology, geology, archeology, oceanography and fisheries.

When the ship was conceived the aim was that it should not only be a platform for scientific research, but also a tool for the development of innovative marine technology. This secondary role is the one Gunnerus will now undertake, a key part of the thruster development work.

As built, the ship has diesel electric propulsion in a traditional twin screw arrangement. For the new thruster fit, Moen Marin won the contract for the conversion work, with Polarconsult designing the hull modifications to accept the azimuth thruster mountings and feed the propulsion forces into the structure.

The original high-speed diesel generator sets are retained, and have been fitted with extremely flexible mountings to stop any structuralborne noise potentially affecting research results. As part of the conversion work the propellers, shaftlines, rudders and steering gear have been removed, and the sterntubes plugged, but the skeg remains in place.

These technology demonstrator PM azimuth thrusters will have a rating of 500kW to match the test vessel’s available power, but the propeller diameter is generous for the loading, which means a thruster with the same diameter propeller can handle up to 1,000kW.

Each thruster comprises three main assemblies – the PM motor/propeller/nozzle underwater unit, the hull mounting system, which includes the azimuth bearing and duplicate frequency controlled electric steering gear, and the inboard power unit which feeds electric power to the thruster.

The PM motor is built into the nozzle and the propeller has an advanced forward skew blade design. Nozzle shape can be selected to suit individual applications, but since Gunnerus requires pull for towing trawls and other gear, the nozzle is optimised for bollard pull and speed to match the vessel’s requirements. The installation is compact, with only the slip ring unit and the variable frequency steering motors inside the hull. In other respects the azimuth thruster uses the same technology as the PM tunnel thrusters.

Under a multi-partner agreement, Rolls-Royce is the lead partner, with NTNU as shipowner and operator. The project has been awarded funding from MAROFF, the marine arm of Forskningsrådet – the Research Council of Norway. Other partners are Marintek, DNV, Olympic Shipping and the Technical University in Ålesund. Through its UTC (University Technology Centre) programme, Rolls-Royce already has a longstanding relationship with Marintek and NTNU on marine propulsion and hydrodynamics research, while Olympic Shipping has for several years been linked to the PM tunnel thruster development work through its vessel Olympic Octopus.

“The vessel and thrusters are an ideal match,” says Gunnar Johnsen, Head of Electrical Systems Research & Technology. “Because of the research work Gunnerus does, it is well equipped to do many jobs that will benefit from the added manoeuvrability the azimuth thrusters will confer, and it is also designed to be quiet.

“A dynamic positioning (DP) system and High Precision Acoustic Positioning (HiPAP) reference system allows Gunnerus to be accurately positioned for deploying research equipment.

“The machinery is also arranged so that the minimum of noise is radiated into the water, which should allow us to get a very clear picture of all aspects of thruster performance.”