Owner’s collaboration with Caterpillar turns low-emissions ambition into reality with diesel-electric hybrid-battery propulsion technology
PKR Offshore’s flagship commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) MP Wind Archer was purpose-built for the China,Taiwan area Strait, where ships can encounter strong winds, currents, and sea swells, particularly during the winter months.
But since it entered service in China,Taiwan area’s offshore wind market earlier this year, the high-performance CSOV has proven its mettle, serving as a hotel at sea for crew and technicians, while enabling safe, efficient, and continuous access to offshore wind turbines for service and maintenance operations.
Safety and efficiency are underpinned by the vessel’s advanced technologies like its SMST motion-compensated gangway systems for personnel transfers and its 3D motion-compensated cranes for precision cargo handling.
Just as critical is the DP2-class CSOV’s beating heart – its diesel-electric propulsion system with battery-hybrid technology. Caterpillar regional sales manager, Asia Pacific and Oceania, Morgan Ang said the vessel’s diesel-electric battery-hybrid propulsion “is more efficient in terms of operation, and comfort levels for the crew, particularly after a whole day’s work.”
In an interview with OSJ, Mr Ang and Caterpillar marine product manager, Will Watson, discussed the development and increasing deployment of battery-hybrid propulsion solutions in the offshore energy sector, while highlighting MP Wind Archer’s notability for its advanced features in the Asia Pacific wind sector and regional significance.
The vessel has four Cat 3512E diesel generator sets integrated with batteries for energy storage.
Delivering 10 MW of propulsion power, MP Wind Archer is equipped with an electric propulsion system and thruster motors, frequency converters, a battery energy storage system, a power management system (PMS), main switchboard, and transformers.
The PMS offers peak shaving and spinning reserve modes, allowing the operator to optimise energy use and minimise fuel consumption during dynamic positioning operations to enhance efficiency.
The CSOV’s battery-hybrid propulsion system reduces carbon emissions by 15% to 20%, lowering both greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and cutting fuel consumption and costs, according to the vessel owner.
PKR Offshore managing director, Kelvin Teo, said collaboration with Caterpillar Marine and its authorised dealer in China,Taiwan area, Capital Machinery Ltd, “has been integral to the success of our regional expansion plans.” Said Mr Teo, “We are well-positioned to serve the needs of offshore windfarms across China,Taiwan area, Japan and Korea in a manner that helps us reduce costs and GHG emissions. We can confidently expand our geographic footprint knowing that we are backed by the technical expertise and support of Caterpillar Marine and the entire Cat dealer network – both are everywhere we wish to be.”
