Wärtsilä has awarded Damen Marine Components (DMC) a contract to provide steering equipment to two Landing Platform Docks (LPD) of the Chilean Navy being built at ASMAR. DMC is supplying a range of energy efficient equipment to the vessels, which will reduce fuel consumption and resultant emissions.The LPDs are being constructed for the Escotillón IV project at the state-owned Astilleros y Maestranzas de la Armada (ASMAR) shipyard. The 110-metre long vessels will fulfil the dual purpose of increasing Chile’s defence capabilities as well as the nation’s ability to perform humanitarian operations.
Simon Riddle, General Manager / Marine Solutions / Navy at Wärtsilä, aays, “DMC’s energy efficient rudders are combined with the vessels’ high efficiency propeller and fairing caps. With the addition of the Silent Bulb to the rudders, testing has demonstrated that required power values are reduced by 3-4% for the desired sailing speed. This offers a reduction in fuel consumption of up to 1.5%, offering considerably increased efficiency during operations.”
DMC’s Sales and Marketing Director, Wim Knoester, says, “We are very pleased to be awarded this contract and I’d like to express my gratitude to Wärtsilä for placing their trust in DMC. These vessels will perform an important role in Chile. The equipment we are supplying to the project will enable them to fulfil their duties with increased efficiency, optimised performance and reduced underwater noise, greatly improving the sustainability of their operations.”
DMC will supply the two vessels with its Commander™ piston type steering system. This compact and efficient system is built to a standardised, proven design. Additionally, DMC will supply two Atlantic rudders including Silent Bulbs. The Silent Bulb is a fuel saving device designed to reduce the risk of cavitation on the rudder by lowering flow losses from the propeller, thereby expanding the lifecycle of the rudder. Additionally, the Silent Bulb increases propeller thrust, thereby enabling the vessel to sail at the required speed with considerably less power output.
Damen Marine Components (DMC) design and manufacture a range of premium systems that are vital for the propulsion, manoeuvring and performance of vessels engaged in all types of maritime activity. These include short sea, fishery, dredging, ocean-going, inland waterways and naval vessels, and superyachts. The company primary products are nozzles, winches, controls and steering and rudder systems. The last two categories are sold under the Van der Velden trademark. ISO 9001-2015 and ISO 14001-2015 certification for all in-house production facilities in the Netherlands, Poland and China guarantees consistent quality. In addition to a global sales network ready to work with customers to help them find the optimal solutions for their vessels, we also offer a 24/7 worldwide support network to ensure that our products deliver maximum performance and minimal downtime. We are member of the Damen Shipyards Group.
