French shipowner and maritime services provider Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has selected Schottel to supply its RudderPropellers Dynamic (SRP-D) propulsion units for two new Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) for European energy company Vattenfall.
The new walk-to-work vessels are designed by naval architect Salt Ship Design in Norway and will be built at Chinese shipyard Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company (ZPMC).
Arthur Barret, LDA Head of Engineering, Projects and Innovation, said: “Following a thorough evaluation of the available thruster options for our future Service Operation Vessels (SOVs), Louis Dreyfus Armateurs has chosen a configuration based on four identical RudderPropellers Dynamic. This setup ensures optimal dynamic positioning performance, thanks to their advanced capabilities, which is key to maintaining maximum operability. We also place strong trust in the proven reliability of Schottel equipment.”
Each SOV will be equipped with four Schottel SRP 430 D units, each of 1,660kW input power, for precise positioning during demanding DP operations. The SRP-D is marked by improved propeller acceleration/deceleration times and a high-speed azimuth steering system with reinforced gear components, which enables faster thrust allocation than conventional rudder propellers. Thanks to the shorter response times, it is possible to react faster and in a more targeted manner to external forces such as wind and currents, thus achieving a higher positioning accuracy of the vessel. In addition, the SRP-D is characterised by a compact design with a vertically integrated electric drive motor (LE-drive) and an eight-degree inclined propeller shaft, which results in less thruster-thruster and thruster-hull interaction and therefore lower thrust losses, leading to improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.
The SRP-D was specifically developed for offshore applications, meeting the growing requirements for efficient and reliable operation of SOVs. It is designed to keep ships in position even in harsh weather conditions, thus increasing the operational window throughout the year. Furthermore, its optimised thrust output is expected to result in fuel and emission savings. Schottel notes that since its launch in 2023, the SRP-D has been in high demand, with more than 50 units sold.
The new vessels are the next generation of LDA’s SOVs ‘Wind of Change’ and ‘Wind of Hope’, which are also equipped with complete Schottel propulsion packages. The design improvements focus on maximising operational efficiency, uptime, and optimising energy consumption. In addition, the vessels will feature an advanced gangway system and a 3D motion-compensated crane.
The first SOV is scheduled to enter service in 2027 on the DanTysk and Sandbank offshore wind farms in Germany, while the second vessel is set to begin operations later in 2027, servicing the Nordlicht 1 and Nordlicht 2 wind farms, also in Germany. A third, optional SOV is intended for Vattenfall’s future projects in the North Sea.
Image: Schottel will provide propulson for LDA’s new SOVs (source: Schottel)
