French shipbuilder Socarenam has entrusted Barillec Marine with the production of the LNG/Diesel-electric propulsion and the water injection dredging system for a new dredger which is being built for Dragages Ports and Bordeaux port Atlantique.
According to Barillec, this innovative system will make the port of Bordeaux dredger, the first new dual-fuel construction in France (excluding LNG tankers).
This contract, which represents close to 7,000 hours of work, involves the design and supply of the main panel for hybrid energy production, of the main and auxiliary dual-fuel/electric propulsion and an innovative energy conversion system, the company said.
The two main propulsion assemblies will each include an electric motor with nominal power of 1,200kW at 1,600rpm. The Bow thruster auxiliary propulsion system will comprise an electric motor with nominal power of 400kW at 1,500rpm.
The two dredging pumps will each have power of 500kW. The innovative conversion system will convert the upstream 690V/60Hz energy to the downstream 400V/50Hz network and will be equipped with two 150kVA decoupling transformers.
The company also added that this hybrid dual-fuel system combined with the complete Barillec marine offer is particularly energy efficient. The frequency converters help optimize the operating parameters of the main machines, azimuth thrusters and bow thruster. Efficiency is bolstered by variable speed and a dynamic ship positioning system. In addition, a Power Management System (PMS) helps organize the operation of machines and further improves the ship’s energy performance.
The innovative system will enable the new dredger to be propelled mainly by LNG and secondarily by light marine diesel. The use of natural gas as a fuel reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by almost 25% and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by close to 80%, and eliminates almost all sulphur dioxide and fine particulate emissions.
The use of this fuel and of water injection dredging will make the Ostréa–the future name of the dredger–an eco-efficient ship with a lower environmental footprint.