First Voith Linear Jet order
Voith has been awarded with the first Voith Linear Jet order by Turbine Transfers UK for a 19m BMT Nigel Gee designed Wind Support Vessel. The Voith Linear Jet will provide for this application a substantial higher bollard pull without a requirement for increased installed power. This higher bollard pull will allow Turbine Transfers the safe transfer of personnel up to higher seastates. Turbine Transfers – a wholly owned subsidiary of Holyhead Towing Company – currently operates a fleet of over 20 fast catamarans that transport personnel and equipment to and from offshore wind turbines. Its long-term customers include Siemens, RWE npower, Van Oord, Dong Energy, EnBW and Royal Boskalis Westminster.
The Voith Linear Jet (VLJ), a new ship propulsor, will give naval architects new ways to optimise their vessel designs. The VLJ employs the simplicity and efficiency of a conventional propeller installation, yet delivers the possibility to design for 40 knot top speeds without the shake, rattle and roll of an extreme power-dense propeller. Similar to a propeller, the efficiency is at a constant high level relative to the ship speed. This gives a VLJ equipped ship a considerable range advantage against its waterjet sister vessel. Typical VLJ applications will be any ship with a mixed operating profile between low speed cruising and sprint speeds like Navy and Coastguard vessels and Yachts.