Navis Engineering and Aker Arctic Technology have signed a scientific and technical co-operation agreement covering the joint development of technology for dynamic positioning (DP) systems for icebreakers and ice-class vessels. The agreement was signed in St Petersburg during NEVA 2013 at the end of September.
Dynamic positioning systems manufactured by Navis Engineering have been installed on a number of icebreakers and ice-class vessels in recent years, including the Polar supply and research icebreaker SA Agulhas II, the Canadian Coast Guard Scientific icebreaker Amundsen and the Sovcomflot-owned multifunctional icebreaking supply vessels Vitus Bering and Aleksey Chirikov, operating for Exxon Neftegaz Ltd in Sakhalin waters in Russia.
Aker Arctic has created innovative ship concepts such as the Aker Arctic DASTM supply icebreakers SCF Sakhalin and the Aframax tankers Tempera and Mastera. The company is also currently involved in developing new logistic systems for Arctic areas for liquefied natural gas (LNG) and Arctic mining. New propulsion solutions have also been introduced, including the Multi-Screw-DAS™ concept which, for the first time, has been installed on the Finnish Border Guard’s new offshore patrol vessel.
Aker Arctic is currently designing new Polar icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard and a Polar research icebreaker for the Chinese Polar Research Institute as well as the next generation icebreaker for the Government of Finland.
Navis Engineering and Aker Arctic Technology believe that DP applications will be needed in ice-covered waters in the longer term and the partnership is looking to prepare industry for upcoming demand. The aim is to improve the capabilities of DP systems in ice operation, taking into account energy efficiency and safety solutions.
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LNG World News Staff, October 24, 2013; Image: Navis