Caterpillar to provide complete power and propulsion solutions for Teekay offshore vessels

Hamburg, Germany based Caterpillar Marine will provide its Cat® power and propulsion package for four ocean-going towing vessels designed by Ulstein Design and Solutions, the Company said in a news release.

Each vessel will have 4x 9 M 32 C propulsion engines, rated at 4500 bkW @ 600 rpm. Also onboard each vessel will be 3x Cat C32 auxiliary generator sets rated at 940 ekW @ 1800 rpm as well as 1x Cat C9 generator set to provide emergency power. All four vessels will be equipped with 2x AEM shaft generators rated at 3150 ekW @ 1200 rpm. Each vessel has two Cat BCP1330F main propellers, two BTT625 tunnel thrusters and two BTT419 tunnel thrusters. The MaK and Cat power and propulsion solutions will be delivered over the course of the next year.

Designed to tow large structures such as offshore drilling rigs, ULSTEIN SX157 design vessels offer a 300-ton bollard pull and are capable of operating at full loads for 45 days without refueling. The vessels will be constructed at the Niigata Shipyard in Japan. Cat dealer Pon Power led the Caterpillar efforts on the sale in conjunction with Cat Propulsion. Upon completion of construction the vessels will be owned and operated by ALP Maritime Services, which was recently acquired by Teekay Services.

“This remarkable project is a milestone achievement for Caterpillar Marine as it represents to the global marine industry what we are capable of as a comprehensive provider of not only power solutions but propulsion systems. Through our rigorous project management and close collaboration with Cat dealer Pon Power, we have been able to seamlessly work with Ulstein to equip the vessels with performance solutions you can only get from Caterpillar ,” Alexander Kohse, Caterpillar Marine global offshore segment manager said.

Cat BCP controllable-pitch main propellers have been specifically designed and developed for heavy-duty applications with the pitch setting hydraulic servo cylinder in the hub. The hub lubrication system is a unique oil circulating system with an integrated moisture monitoring system. This is the first hub system in the shipbuilding industry where the moisture content is constantly checked, making it possible to protect the entire propeller system as well as the environment.

Cat tunnel thrusters feature a modular design with modern transmission layout and custom-designed blades to suit each individual application. The complete thruster can be mounted and dismounted in the tunnel (swing-in/swingout design) and can be driven by electric motor or diesel engine. Built to meet the demands of the major classification standards, the thrusters offer customers maximum reliability with minimum downtime and good serviceability.

About Caterpillar Marine

Caterpillar Marine, with headquarters in Hamburg, Germany, groups all the marketing and service activities for Cat® and MaK marine engines and propulsion systems within Caterpillar Inc. The organisation provides premier power solutions in the medium- and high-speed segments with outputs from 93 to 16,800 kW in main propulsion and 10 to 16,100  kWe in marine generator sets as well as a comprehensive portfolio of propulsion solutions. The sales and service network includes more than 2,100 dealer locations world-wide dedicated to support customers in ocean-going, commercial marine and pleasure craft wherever they are.