NGC Receives Export Order for 10 Tugboat Azimuth Thrusters

Nanjing High Accurate Marine Equipment Co., Ltd. (High Accurate Marine), a subsidiary of NGC Marine Group, recently received an export order for 20 sets of azimuth thruster propulsion system for ten 鈥�42T bollard pull azimuth tugboats鈥� registered by American Bureau of Shipping. The contract for this order amounts to nearly RMB 40 million. The main propulsion system of the ASDs tugboat is composed of Caterpillar CAT3512C diesel engines and High Accurate Marine鈥檚 NRP180 azimuth thrusters. High Accurate Marine is overseeing the propulsion system assembly with the exception of the main engines. The propulsion system control system utilizes PLC as the main control component and touch screen as the terminal equipment, integrating functions of main engine remote control, thruster remote control, clutch control and protection of propulsion systems. System reliability is significantly improved by single-handle control sweeping-oars and two sets of mutually independent remote control systems. In terms of structural design: High Accurate Marine adopts an external hydraulic clutch to reduce the stern weight of the azimuth thruster and improve the stability of this compact ASDs tugboat while also ensuring high performance. Top assembling installation is adopted for safe and convenient maintenance, applying a closed hydraulic steering system with a steering speed of 12s/180 degrees, efficient thrust-augmenting nozzle and bollard pull up to 42T. There is also the ability of two-stage joint exhaust that ensures comfort in operation of the ASD tugboat.

By virtue of its excellent operation, azimuth thrusters are widely used in special boats and marine fields, such as semi-submersible marine platforms, self-propulsion lifting platforms, wind power service vessels, semi-submersible heavy transport vessels, semi-submersible crane vessels, scientific investigation vessels, research and exploration vessels, heavy lift cable layer vessels, and port tugboats. Although the special boats and marine platforms built by China in recent years have accounted for more than half of those all over the world, and the azimuth thruster is in huge demand, the core components of azimuth thrusters are mostly imported and only a very few low-powered azimuth thrusters are domestically produced. High-powered azimuth thrusters are mostly dominated by foreign producers, such as Japan鈥檚 NIIGATA and Europe鈥檚 SCHOTTEL, ROLLS-ROYCE and Wartsila.

Based on the market conditions for azimuth thrusters, after years of effort, High Accurate Marine has completed design, trial production and use of new products of NRP series azimuth thrusters, with a maximum power of a single azimuth thruster reaching 6000HP. Azimuth thruster products have obtained 23 patents, including 5 invention patents. Through provincial technical appraisal, the products are absolutely able to substitute imported goods. Enjoying a domestic leading level of performance, the products have become high-tech products of Jiangsu province and have won provincial and municipal scientific and technical awards, including the Gold Award of Excellent New Products in Jiangsu Province and First Prize for Scientific and Technological Advancement in Machinery Industry in Jiangsu Province. The products have been identified as first major equipment products, selected as industrialization demonstration projects as part of a national torch plan, and obtained special funding from relevant department. 

The company has thus far won an order of NRP series constant pitch azimuth thruster totaling more than 200 million in amount, with quantity exceeding 150 sets. The annual order quantity this year is expected to exceed 120 million. From January to April, the order quantity had already surpassed 50 million. At present, azimuth thrusters are widely used in port tugboats, scientific investigation vessels, marine platforms, semi-submersible vessels and wind power service vessels. In terms of port tugboats, it has entered into cooperation with large and medium-sized ports, including Nantong Port, Yantai Port, Shanghai Fuxing Port, Yingkou Port, Jiangyin Port and Yangzhou Port. In terms of marine platforms, 5 platform propulsion systems have come into service which turns out to be very effective. In terms of propulsion systems, integration tests have been conducted for several actual ships with electric propulsion systems.

In order to further meet market demand, High Accurate Marine has further developed new products related to deck combination azimuth thrusters, lifting azimuth thrusters, pair-oars azimuth thrusters, and hybrid compact azimuth thrusters that are based on the propulsion systems of well azimuth thrusters, successfully sold them to southeast Asian markets and increasing customer bases. This has injected new vitality into the development of the company, improved China鈥檚 core competencies in vessels and marine equipment, and promoted industrial optimization and upgrading.