Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract with Turkish shipbuilder and tugboat operator Med Marine to supply US series azimuth thrusters and a combination of electric and hydraulic towing winches for nine new tug designs.
The agreement includes Med Marine’s new VoltRA all-electric tug, which will be built at the company’s Ereğli Shipyard.
The contract covers the supply of eight shipsets of Kongsberg Maritime’s high-performance US255 azimuth thrusters for Med Marine’s RAmparts 2500-W and RAstar 3200-W tug designs. The VoltRA will be powered by Kongsberg Maritime’s US205 azimuth thruster.
The contract also includes the supply of five shipsets of Kongsberg’s newly launched electric towing winches and four shipsets of hydraulic winches. The new electric winches, introduced earlier this year, have been engineered to meet the requirements of next-generation electric tug operations. Powered by frequency converter-driven electric motors, they are said to deliver improved efficiency and reduced environmental impact compared with traditional hydraulic systems.
Kongsberg says that the latest generation of US-series azimuth thrusters are fully compatible with hybrid and all-electric propulsion systems.
Nils-Reidar Valle, senior vice president, naval and workboat sales at Kongsberg Maritime, said, “By integrating our proven US-series thrusters and electric winches into Med Marine’s tug fleet, we’re demonstrating how advanced propulsion technology and energy-efficient engineering can work hand in hand to deliver powerful, sustainable performance.”
“This collaboration represents an important step forward for Med Marine as a global shipbuilder focused on innovation and sustainability,” commented Yıldız Bozkurt Ozcan, general manager of Med Marine.
“Partnering with Kongsberg Maritime enables us to integrate world-class propulsion and deck machinery solutions with our proven shipbuilding expertise. The ‘VoltRA’ series represents our shared vision to lead the tug industry toward a more efficient, electric and environmentally responsible future.”
In related news, Wärtsilä to supply integrated hybrid propulsion system for Aasen Shipping’s new bulk carrier