Brunvoll to upgrade propulsion systems of two ice-class vessels of Utkilen AS

Brunvoll is ready for major propulsion upgrades for two of Utkilen AS’s ice classed vessels. Utkilen’s investment will enable a larger saving in fuel and emissions through the vessel’s remaining lifetime, according to the company's release.

The two vessels, Golfstraum and Rystraum, will receive substantial upgrades by Brunvoll, including a new gear transition, overhaul, and a redesign of propeller blades. Final selection of optimised propeller revolution speed and blade design has been subject to an extensive analysis by Brunvoll, and in good cooperation with Becker Marine Systems, who supplies their energy saving device, the Becker Mewis Duct, for both vessels. The project is one of several of Utkilen’s investments in operational improvements, which have ranged across their entire fleet.

As part of the retrofit, the vessels will have a reduction in ice class and a new optimised vessel speed. Combined, the changed operating service speed, the reduction gear upgrade, the redesigned propeller blades and the Becker Mewis Duct have a larger emission saving potential than what each upgrade could have provided separately. In other words, 2+2 is more than 4 in this case. This better total is a result of continuous optimised water flow over the Becker Mewis Duct and the redesigned propeller blades. Brunvoll and Becker have cooperated closely and performed several rounds of iteration to reach the final design.