Unveiled to the industry at Seatrade Cruise Global Convention in the United States, the WTT-40 transverse thruster is part of Wärtsilä’s new transverse thruster series. It has a 4,000kW power level and a 3,400mm diameter controllable pitch propeller to meet customers’ needs for a high power transverse thruster for bow and stern applications.
This high power level means that only three WTT-40 thrusters are required instead of four smaller ones, reducing space occupied, thereby increasing flexibility of location. For instance, the thrusters can be located at the vicinity of the bow where they are more effective. In addition, the high power is utilised during the harbour manoeuvring and docking of large ships and assists with the dynamic positioning of vessels working in challenging sea conditions.
Wärtsilä has also integrated its computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis to enable propulsion performance and reduction of noise and vibration for maximum efficiency.
WTT-40 is suitable for a range of ship types, including cruise liners, offshore support vessels (OSVs) and offshore construction vessels (OCVs). The thruster is available in a range of configurations with controllable pitch and fixed pitch propellers to suit a range of ship requirements and has a low installation and commissioning shipyard time due to the integrated hydraulics.
Wärtsilä’s WTT-40 will be aligned to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) VGP2013 regulations, under which the thruster will be lubricated by environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) in all oil-to-sea interfaces.
The first of the WTT-40’s had been ordered and is expected to be delivered later this year.
