Damen Marine Components has won an order for three sets of steering and rudder systems for three dual-fuelled trailing suction hopper dredgers. These are currently being built at Keppel Offshore & Marine’s shipyard in Singapore for Van Oord.
The vessels will be 138 metres in length and have a hopper capacity of 10,500 cubic metres. They will represent the very latest in sustainable, energy-efficient dredging and are due for delivery in 2021. The third will be handed over the following year.
Commander piston-type steering systems
Each vessel will have two Van der Velden Commander piston-type steering systems and two Van der Velden Master Rudders with fish-tail design bulb. The Commander piston-type guarantees reliability thanks to its in-house cylinder design and is available in a range of options with regard to rudder stock connections, rudder angles and cylinders. This makes the installation process efficient and reduces the amount of space required.
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Commander piston-type steering system.
Master Rudder
The Master Rudder offers high manoeuvrability and has a specially designed, high performance, fish tail profile that can be optimised to suit a wide range of vessels. In addition, the absence of movable parts makes it ideal for vessels operating in shallow waters. The rudders for Van Oord’s TSHDs will have an area of approximately fourteen square metres, be class approved by Bureau Veritas for speeds of up to fifteen knots and generate a torque of 270 kNm.
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With rudder angles of up to 65 degrees, Master Rudders offer high lift and their fish tail design can be optimised to the purpose of the vessel. Each rudder will be executed with a rudder bulb. This improves the propeller wake field, thereby saving energy and reducing fuel consumption, and also increases thrust at higher loads.
The rudder profile has been optimised during model tests for best manoeuvring performance at low speed and shallow water.
