Vacon to Deliver Two 4.6-MW AC Drives for Main Propulsion Units


The AC drives manufacturer Vacon will deliver via its global system integrator partner Imtech Marine & Offshore two 4.6-MW diesel-electric main propulsion drives to a Belgian high-tech fall pipe rockdumping vessel. This is the largest single order to date for Vacon's office in Belgium.

"Imtech Marine & Offshore is a key system integrator which provides this special vessel with the diesel-electric propulsion as well as energy generation, distribution and automation. We are very pleased to supply AC drives for controlling the 2 x 4.6-MW diesel-electric propulsion - which, in the Vacon Group's history, is so far one of the largest AC drives deliveries for main propulsion," says Daniel de Coster, Managing Director of Vacon Benelux NV/SA, Vacon's office in Belgium.

The special vessel, called "Flintstone", will be built for Tideway, an offshore specialist within the Belgian DEME (Dredging, Environmental & Marine Engineering) Group. With a loading capacity of 19,000 tonnes, the vessel can accurately cover oil and gas pipelines, installed thousands of metres under water, with a layer of rocks to embed them in the ocean floor. Imtech Marine & Offshore will also deliver a dynamic positioning and dynamic tracking system on the 'Flintstone'.

The Vacon AC drives needed for the diesel-electric propulsion will be two sets of Vacon's 4.6-MW liquid-cooled AC drives and two 900-kW liquid-cooled AC drives. They will be controlled by Vacon DriveSynch, an innovative concept for running high-power AC drives in parallel. The Vacon DriveSynch provides a high degree of redundancy by allowing the control of one motor by means of 2 to 4 AC drives of 100 - 2,500 kW each. The Vacon DriveSynch is suited for the control of single and multi-winding AC motors.

The total installed power of the fall pipe rockdumping vessel is 13,000 kW. Diesel-electric propulsion is an eco-friendly system, allowing significant reductions in fuel consumption and environmentally harmful emissions. Additionally, ships which are equipped with this kind of technology are more manoeuvrable and produce less vibration on board resulting in less noise pollution.

The rockdumping vessel will be constructed at the Sembawang shipyard in Singapore and will be operational in 2011.
Vacon Group

Vacon in brief:

Vacon is driven by a passion to design, manufacture and sell only the best AC drives on the planet - and nothing else. AC drives can be used to control electric motors or to help generate power from renewable sources. Vacon has R&D and production units in Finland, the United States, China and Italy, and sales offices in more than 25 countries. In 2008, Vacon had revenues of EUR 293.2 million and globally employed ca 1,200 people. Vacon's shares (VAC1V) are listed and publicly traded on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.
Driven by Drives, www.vacon.com

Imtech in brief:

The Imtech Marine Group is part of Imtech N.V. which is an European technical services provider in the fields of electrical engineering, ICT and mechanical engineering. Imtech, with approximately 22,500 employees, achieves an annual revenue of over 3.8 billion euro. Imtech shares are listed on the Euronext Stock Exchange Amsterdam, where Imtech is included in the Midcap Index. Imtech shares are also included in the Dow Jones STOXX 600 index.

Imtech Marine & Offshore is part of the Imtech Marine Group and has built up a close cooperation with sister companies Radio Holland, HDW-Hagenuk Schiffstechnik, Imtech Schiffbau-/Dockbautechnik and Royal Dirkzwager.

Imtech Marine Group can offer complete solutions. Including a bridge, engine room, nav/com, energy, drives and propulsion, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning), audio/video and marine information systems.
Passion Beyond Technology, www.imtechmarine.com

Tideway in brief:

Tideway BV is a DEME-company specialized in serving the oil & gas industry. They are experts in landfall construction, scour protection and pre- and post dredging for the support of pipe laying operations. They boast an impressive track record that includes landfalls for Zeepipe, Europipe and the Interconnector, TransMed and the Gela to Mehlila pipeline, the Malampaya gas pipeline in the Philippines, or the Bombax gas pipeline in Trinidad.

Further information:
Heikki Hiltunen,
Executive Vice President,
Products and Markets,
Vacon Group,
mobile +358 (0)40 8371 609

Press contact:
Sebastian Linko,
Director, Corporate Communications,
Vacon Group,
mobile +358 (0)40 8371 634,
email sebastian.linko@vacon.com

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