Schottel is to equip five new traffic safety vessels for the German Rhine Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSA) with electrically driven Schottel RudderPropellers.
The Bolle shipyard in Derben, Germany, has been commissioned with the construction of the modern multipurpose vessels following tenders submitted throughout Europe.
The modern traffic safety vessels will each be fitted with two Schottel SRP 100 RudderPropellers with vertically mounted electric drive motors (L-Drive variant) for the first time. The motors are powered by lithium-ion batteries and diesel generators which in combination create a serial hybrid system. The batteries enable short trips to be made without the diesel generators and can quickly and efficiently compensate for peak demands during use. The 360-degree steerable SRP combines vessel manoeuvrability with course stability during free sailing while providing thrust in any chosen direction at all times. The compact and robust design of the SRP 100 allows vessels to be operated in both low and shallow waters and makes them resistant to any collisions with flotsam.
The lead vessel in the new series, Emmerich, has been in operation for the WSA Rhine since July 2020. As the first innovative, future-orientated multipurpose vessel for WSA, it is the prototype for the series currently under construction. The new traffic safety vessels are all 33.3m long and 7.4m wide, each having a crane system and landing ramp. They will replace the current vessels Neuss, Rees, Köln, Homberg and Bonn and will be operated on the German part of the Rhine between Duisburg and Bonn on a distance of about 130km. Besides checking and servicing navigation signs, their tasks include clearing shipping disruptions, transporting vehicles and work equipment and salvaging flotsam.
Image: Five new WSA hybrid vessels will be powered by Schottel (source: Schottel)
