Executive in Action: Alan Van Schoor, Field Service Manager, EPD Singapore Services

By Wendy Laursen

Electronic Power Design (EPD) has anticipated the uptake of batteries in the marine industry by undertaking a two-year technology survey. Alan Van Schoor, newly appointed Field Services Manager for EPD Singapore Services, sees battery technology, along with diesel-electric propulsion, as a key part of the industry’s on-going drive toward higher fuel economy amidst more demanding safety and environmental requirements.

“The challenge is to integrate these battery solutions into a very tight space. EPD has worked on this and has identified the right technology, the right chemical mix, and the right electrical infrastructure to integrate them into the tight environment of a vessel.” Such hybrid solutions can reduce the required capacity of diesel generators. As soon as the batteries are charged, the diesel engines can be turned off to reduce fuel consumption. A solution with reasonable initial investment, good savings in fuel, and minimum maintenance is needed to provide a fast return on investment.

EPD Singapore retrofits, commissions, maintains and repairs electrical propulsion and power-generation systems for marine and offshore vessels globally. “Because of the trend toward green vessels, the fleet of diesel-electric vessels will be huge,” Van Schoor says. “A challenge that a lot of shipowners underestimate is: Do we have enough skilled staff to operate and maintain these new-technology vessels?” EPD has invested in training technologies to support shipowners in this. Over the last five years, 6,500 crew members have been trained by EPD training centers to operate, diagnose and repair these vessels.

Active Harmonic Filters

A key energy-saving market for the company is active harmonic filters to eliminate the distortion caused by Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) drives in propulsion systems. The company’s Dynamic Harmonic Filter is an add-on solution for existing electrical power systems that can reduce fuel consumption.

“Among the service centers of EPD are some of the most skilled harmonic specialists in the world,” says Van Schoor. The main problem in vessels or drilling rigs is the need for power generators, which affect and increase the harmonics in an electrical power system. The traditional approach has been to analyze the harmonic spectrum and install passive filters to shut down a range of harmonics. However, in the lifecycle of a vessel, there are many different operating profiles that can be out of this range. This means the harmonics reappear again. EPD’s active filter reduces the full range of harmonics and therefore the power requirements of a generator along with its fuel consumption.

Van Schoor has 20 years’ experience in maritime electrical and electronic systems. From his native South Africa he has travelled the world many times over performing field service on vessels, but this is his first long-term assignment outside the country. He is a graduate of Johannesburg Tech and previously worked as an electrical officer on container and offshore vessels. Now in Singapore, he is at the heart of the Southeast Asian marine and offshore market with the ability to intervene in support of his clients in less than a four-hour flight.

Offshore Focus

In addition to his day-to-day work on generator controls, switchboards and drives, he continues to work on developments that will lead to energy-saving devices and green energy, particularly for the offshore support vessels that form a major part of the company’s Singapore-based market. The design of electrical power systems becomes more complex and requires a macro view of a vessel including thruster, generator, hull design, automation, operations, etc. The ability to do this is a key strength of EPD, he says.

“At the component level, all the drives and electronics become more and more multi-purpose boxes that can be programmed to suit the shipowner’s requirements. The real added value of those electronic boxes is the software developed by integrators like EPD.” Acknowledging that there is fierce competition in Singapore, Van Schoor aims to bring in new customers and is confident EPD has unique competitive advantages with its highly skilled engineers, training center, and local stock of spare parts. – MarEx