Maritime Propulsion News

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) identified a safety concern after a prototype component used in a mechanical shaft-seal system failed onboard a USCG inspected deep draft vessel.On February 19, 2025, a U.S. flagged crude-oil tanker transiting near Delaware Bay experienced simultaneous failures of its port and starboard shaft seals, resulting in substantial seawater ingress.The crew deployed emergency collars supplied by the seal manufacturer and used the vessel’s emergency bilge system…

Equipment OEMs are securing their position in the data pipeline from ship to shore.Crews are becoming increasingly reliant on digital support as onboard systems become more complex and demands for emissions reduction more stringent. OEMs are choosing where they want to fit in the flow of sensor data coming out of ships and the provision of support and troubleshooting back in.“Across sensors, IT/OT architecture, communications and cloud analytics, the baseline for digital monitoring has shifted from periodic data capture and alarm lists to always-on…

Schottel is expanding its international network with the establishment of a new subsidiary in India. With Schottel India Sales and Service Private Limited, the German propulsion company is further strengthening its presence in a rapidly developing maritime market and creating the basis to deepen collaboration with local customers and partners. Based in Pune, the new subsidiary will focus on newbuild and retrofit sales as well as after-sales service, enabling Schottelto provide responsive…

Berg Propulsion has reorganized its leadership structure as part of a planned transition aimed at supporting the company’s long-term growth strategy.Philip Chaabane had assumed the role of chief executive officer (CEO) at the company, effective May 1, while Stefan Sedersten would remain executive chairman focusing on growth initiatives.Berg Propulsion also moved Jon Töyrä from chief financial officer (CFO) to chief operating officer (COO) with overall responsibility for operations…

Berg Propulsion has been contracted to supply the propulsion and control systems for four diesel-electric, firefighting offshore support tugs which will be the most powerful vessels of their type ever built in Türkiye.The vessels have been ordered by Smit Lamnalco from builder Uzmar Shipyard and will initially operate in French Guyana, with Berg due to deliver equipment for the first in the series in November 2026. All four tugs will feature bollard pull (bp) capacities exceeding 130 tons…

ABB has secured a contract from Spanish shipbuilder Navantia to supply power distribution and propulsion systems for two new coastal hydrographic vessels being built for the Spanish Navy.The vessels, scheduled for delivery by 2028, will be equipped with ABB’s Onboard DC Grid power system, PEMS power and energy management system, transformers, thruster motors and batteries.The systems are designed to improve energy efficiency, operational flexibility and reliability while reducing fuel consumption and emissions.ABB will also oversee engineering…

Kongsberg Maritime has won a contract from Austal USA to supply propulsion systems for the next four vessels in the United States Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter Heritage Class program.The contract covers delivery of Kongsberg Maritime’s Promas propulsion system, as well as steering gear, rudders, fin stabilisers and tunnel thrusters for the vessels.The Offshore Patrol Cutter program is expected to include up to 25 ships and is designed to replace the Coast Guard’s medium…

Germany-based gearbox manufacturer REINTJES is expanding its global after-sales capabilities with the establishment of a dedicated spare parts warehouse at its headquarters in Hameln, Germany, a move aimed at strengthening service support for its international customer base.The long-established company, known for supplying high-performance marine and industrial gearboxes, designs and manufactures its products in Hameln before shipping them to shipowners, operators and industrial clients around the world.

ABS, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HD HSHI) signed a joint development project (JDP) for the “Conceptual Design of a Nuclear-Powered Electric Propulsion System.”Under the agreement, HD KSOE and HD HSHI will develop the basic design, electrical component specifications and arrangement plans for a nuclear-powered electric propulsion system tailored for container ships. The agreement forms a framework to assess the technical…

GONDAN Shipbuilders placed an order with Steerprop for hybrid-capable azimuth units to be installed on a new high-performance tugboat, the first tug design from naval architect Skipsteknisk, for Norwegian shipowner Østensjø Rederi. Steerprop will supply dual-end versions of its SP 50 W D propulsors — the most powerful ducted units it has ever delivered — providing the vessel with the flexibility to operate main propulsion using a diesel engine, an electric motor, or a combination of both.

Caudwell Marine hosted an industry launch briefing for the AX300 Diesel Outboard alongside its participation in the Maldives Marine Expo.The Maldives is characterized by high-utilization fleets, long daily run hours and year-round exposure to heat, saltwater and heavy operational loads. These conditions closely mirror the duty cycles the AX300 Diesel has been engineered to address.The AX300 Diesel has been developed specifically for professional and commercial operators who depend on predictable performance, efficiency and uptime over sustained duty cycles.

GE Aerospace's Marine Engines & Systems has received orders to supply eight LM2500 marine gas turbine engines for the U.S. Navy's next two Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers: the future USS Intrepid (DDG 145) and USS Robert Kerrey (DDG 146). Each destroyer is powered by four LM2500 engines, providing the proven propulsion power that has made the Arleigh Burke class the backbone of the U.S. Navy's surface fleet for over three decades.As of January 2025, 74 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are active with GE Aerospace’s LM2500 engines being the prime mover for propulsion.

Thordon Bearings, a leader in high-performance polymer bearing systems, has steadily carved out a niche in the global marine industry with its eco-friendly water-lubricated bearings. Unlike traditional oil or grease-based bearings, Thordon’s systems operate entirely on water, eliminating the risk of harmful pollution in marine environments. Over the years, the company has expanded its reach, offering substantial advantages to the commercial shipping, naval, and workboat markets…

Kongsberg Maritime, a global provider of advanced technology solutions for the maritime industry, has been awarded a contract to upgrade the waterjet propulsion systems on 13 vessels operated by the Kuwait Coast Guard, in partnership with EDGE Group entity Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB).Under the agreement, ADSB will install Kongsberg Kamewa waterjets across the fleet, replacing existing third-party systems on ten vessels and retrofitting three others. The project includes the delivery of 13 shipsets of S63-4 waterjets…

Fairbanks Morse Defense Awarded Contract for FM 175D Engine to Support U.S. Navy’s DDG(X) ProgramFairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management (Arcline), won a contract to provide the U.S. Navy with an FM 175D high-speed diesel generator engine for integration into the DDG(X) land-based propulsion system test site, supporting the U.S. Navy’s goal of reducing design risks as it continues developing the next-generation platform.Designed to succeed the Flight II Ticonderoga-class cruisers and the Flight I/II Arleigh Burke-class destroyers…

The Executive Board of Everllence has appointed Stefan Eefting as its new Head of Americas. Eefting commences his position from July 1st, succeeding Mahesh Joshi who is leaving the company for a well-deserved retirement. Originally educated as a marine engineer in Bremerhaven, German native Eefting is an Everllence veteran who has worked in a variety of management positions over three decades with the company, most recently as long-serving Senior Vice President and Head of PrimeServ Germany.Dr Uwe Lauber…

Siemens Energy has had its hands on a number of groundbreaking ship design and construction projects globally, projects that highlight the possibilities and the challenges inherent in being a technology pioneer. Ed Schwarz, Head of Marine Solutions Sales for Siemens Energy in the US and Canada, give an insider’s view of some practical steps to take if electrification is on an organization’s fleet expansion agenda.Energy transition is everywhere you turn in maritime today, and electric solutions are an important and growing part of the mix…

Finnøy Gear & Propeller has signed a contract to deliver complete propulsion systems for a new series of eight cargo vessels being built for the Norwegian shipping company Wilson ASA. The vessels will be constructed at Udupi Cochin Shipyard Ltd. in India and are based on a design from the Dutch company Conoship International. The project marks an important collaboration between Norwegian maritime technology, European ship design, and Asian shipbuilding resources.Finnøy's delivery includes a "twin in – single out" 2G42-60F gearbox system…

Schottel will equip a new RoRo cargo vessel for U.S.-based United Launch Alliance (ULA) being built by Bollinger Shipyards in Amelia, Louisiana. The vessel, to be named SpaceShip, will transport Vulcan rockets from the factory in Decatur, Alabama, to the launch sites at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It will be equipped with three Schottel RudderPropellers SRP 460 LE and two Schottel TransverseThrusters STT 1. SpaceShip’s tailored electric system will be designed and supplied by elkon, a member of the Schottel Group.

Wärtsilä will supply the electric propulsion system for three fully battery-electric, high-speed ferries that will operate in the San Francisco Bay area, the first full-electric high-speed ferries to operate and be built in the USA. The order with Wärtsilä has been placed by the shipyard All American Marine (AAM), on behalf of San Francisco Bay Ferry, California’s largest public ferry operator. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q1 2025.The three zero-emission vessels will be the first delivered as a part of San Francisco Bay Ferry’s Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program…

Confusion over new fuels will not be helped by the fact that each one has a good and bad version. The science on grey ammonia, grey methanol, and palm oil biofuel show that these are probably worse for the planet, if adopted, than unfettered continuation of fossil fuel consumption. Conversely, green methanol, green ammonia and biofuel made using genuine wastes and residual products could create a substantial dent in production and consumption of fossil fuels. For this reason, clarity on which fuels shipping lines intend eventually to use is vital.Höegh Autoliners is set on ammonia…

MAN Energy Solutions will deliver the world's most powerful two-stroke methanol engine in June 2025. The engine, an MAN B&W 12G95ME-C10.5-LGIM (-Liquid Gas Injection Methanol) type rated at 82,440 kW @ 80rpm, is currently being built by Chinese licensee, CSSC-MES Diesel Co., Ltd. (CMD).The engine is the first of 12 bound for a series of 12 × 24,000 teu container vessels currently under construction: seven at Nantong COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co., Ltd. (NACKS) for shipowner, Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd. (OOCL); and five at Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co., Ltd.

If the dynamic positioning (DP) system went down on an offshore supply vessel, it could result in a collision. On a dive support vessel, it could result in injury or death for a diver. On a drilling rig, it could result in a blowout with loss of life, pollution and fire.Built-in redundancy is key to avoiding failures, and this in turn determines the thruster, electrical and engine configurations that are designed to enable DP systems.“There is no single, universal solution,” says Lauri Tiainen, Director Thrusters and Propulsion Control Systems, Wärtsilä Marine.