Becker Marine Systems Unveil New High Performance Rudders

Despite the continuing global shipping crisis, the world market leader for high-performance rudders and energy-saving solutions in the field of maneuvering technology is appearing at SMM 2016 with a good order situation. Becker Marine Systems will also be presenting a new product line, the “Compact Battery Rack” (or COBRA) battery system at the world’s leading trade fair for the maritime industry being held in Hamburg.

The world’s largest container ships are also continuing to operate using full spade rudders from Becker Marine Systems. “The Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding shipyard in China has ordered our Becker Twist Rudder with a rudder surface of 100 square metres for six 21,000 TEU container ships”, report Dirk Lehmann and Henning Kuhlmann, both Managing Directors of Becker Marine Systems, at SMM, the leading international maritime trade fair, being held in Hamburg from 6th to 9th September.

In addition, other major orders have been placed for the Becker Performance Package, comprising a Becker Twist Rudder with Rudder Bulb and Becker Mewis Duct® Twisted. One of these orders came from the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Korea for nine 14,000 TEU container ships. Furthermore, Becker Marine Systems was awarded an order to equip ten 2,800 TEU container ships from the Imabari Shipbuilding shipyard in Japan with the Becker Twist Rudder with Rudder Bulb.

The successful Becker Mewis Duct® product is also experiencing a good order situation with an order from the New Times Shipbuilding shipyard in China to fit them on 14 of their 158,000 DWT Suezmax tankers. “To extend the capabilities of the Becker Mewis Duct® we are currently working on offering solutions for twin screw vessels“, said Lehmann and Kuhlmann. The use of all Becker Mewis Ducts® delivered to date have already lowered emissions of CO2 by more than 2.8 million tonnes worldwide – an impressive contribution towards the goal of increased sustainability in the global shipping industry.

Power supply by LNG Hybrid Barge works

At two separate stands at the Hamburg Messe exhibition centre, Becker Marine Systems will be impressing trade visitors with a successful interaction of economy and ecology. In addition to the Manoeuvring Systems and Energy-Saving-Devices product lines, there is also the LNG Hybrid Concepts division. The company has also developed a number of offerings for the use of lowemission Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

“Despite significant regulatory requirements, the operation of our LNG Hybrid Barge supplying power to cruise ships moored along the quay wall at the port of Hamburg is running smoothly and to our complete satisfaction”, reports Lehmann. “During AIDAsol’s recent call to the port, the barge transferred approx. 35 MWh of power”, adds Kuhlmann. In addition, there is the LNG PowerPac®, a specially-designed modular container system used to supply power to ships. It allows the alternative fuel to be used, for instance, directly on board container ships. This makes unnecessary the use of other technologies and construction work on infrastructure at ports which can frequently be quite costly.

Maritime battery system a new product innovation

The focus of Becker Marine Systems’ appearance at the trade fair is once again on products resulting in energy savings and an accompanying reduction in operating costs. A new innovation was exclusively presented at SMM: The low-cost, compact and easy-to-install on board “Compact Battery Rack” (COBRA) battery system is currently in the test phase and starting in summer 2017 can be delivered as an independent product or in combination with hybrid drives. Initial orders for passenger ferries, among others, have already been placed for this technology based on lithium-ion cells. Use in internal products such as the LNG PowerPac® is also possible and being planned. “We have successfully managed to transfer a tried and tested e-mobility application to the maritime world”, said Lehmann.

Many of these innovative ideas have contributed towards the ship supplier’s revenues having remained stable since the last SMM held two years ago, settling in at over 100 million Euros. “Due to our strength and the force of innovation in our core business as well as continuous product development in the field of alternative fuels, we view the outlook for growth as continuing to remain stable despite a difficult overall market environment in the shipping industry“, said Kuhlmann. Becker Marine Systems currently has approx. 250 employees worldwide and the Hamburg-based company recently opened an office in Kobe, Japan.