Container ship and offshore orders for SAM Electronics

The offshore contract involves supply of the complete electrical package, including cable engineering and installation, energy distribution, propulsion, lighting and infotainment systems, as well as internal and external communications systems, for two offshore supply vessels for the Norwegian shipowner, Siem Offshore. Built by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG), located in northern Germany and recently acquired by Siem, the 155m long and 31m wide ships are due to be delivered in February and July 2016 respecively.

The vessels are designed to comply with the MODU code as well as the ship-shaped well intervention 2 classification and, on delivery, will be chartered by Helix Energy Solutions, a worldwide service company in the offshore market, to service Brazilian offshore platforms and drilling sites.

SAM Electronics is supplying the communications systems, covering offshore and nautical requirements, and which will be supported by L-3’s two talk-back systems. The package comprises sound-powered telephones and digital UHF communications systems, as well as a comprehensive range of GMDSS equipment. In accordance with class requirements, a public address and general alarm system will be included. A specially designed multifunction IT network will provide the basis for the VoIP telephones and base stations used for DECT telephony, IP TV distribution and the IP CCTV camera system. The assembly includes a high-precision clock facility with NTP server functionality. Additional electronic equipment includes fire and gas detection system, while the scope of supply includes the ships’ complete lighting system.

L-3 is, in addition, supplying each ship with four asynchronous motors for main propulsion, five tunnel thruster drives and two retractable thruster drives. Each is driven by an asynchronous motor and speed-controlled, low-voltage PWM converter, providing a combined total of about 30MW of propulsion power. Four high-voltage 6.6kV switchboards will be installed to control the eight diesel-driven alternators and motors, while 10 L-3 transformers for onboard low-voltage mains supply will be supplied to complete the power distribution network.

“We are extremely proud to work with FSG and Siem Offshore on the two new state-of-the-art offshore supply vessels,” said L-3 Marine Systems International president Ulrich Weinreuter. “Following the successful recent completion of several comparable vessel installation projects, this award affords us yet another opportunity to demonstrate our range of specialised systems and expertise in supporting the global offshore shipping and platform industry.”

L-3 SAM Electronics says this contract is the latest in a series of major turnkey projects it has undertaken on behalf of leading operators in the offshore market. Other recent ventures include outfitting of the heavy-lift jack-up crane vessels, Innovation and Vidar, and Ceona Amazon, a pipelay and construction vessel.

SAM Electronics’ Korean subsidiary L-3 Marine Systems has been awarded a contract to provide its NACOS Platinum navigation, automation and control system, as well as communications equipment, for three newbuild container vessels for Hamburg Süd. The 10,600teu ships, being built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in South Korea, are scheduled for delivery in 2015.

The NACOS Platinum navigation systems each comprise X- and S-band radars linked to a series of five multifunction Multipilot workstations for centralised control of all main radar, ECDIS and conning operations, in addition to those for automatic steering, track control and voyage planning. The scope of supply includes AIS, VDR, differential GPS, Doppler log, echosounder and wind/weather navaids, as well as a bridge navigational watch alarm system (BNWAS). Associated communications facilities cover a full range of GMDSS A3 equipment, including a KVH TracPhone FB500.

Each NACOS assembly will be complemented by an integrated MCS Platinum monitoring and control system covering all main vessel operating components, supported by 2,500 I/O points on a redundant LAN network. Individual systems will incorporate five high-resolution multipurpose workstations to be variously sited in ship bridge and engine control rooms. The design architecture provides for integration of a fuel-efficient vessel performance system to reduce engine emissions and enable lower running costs. SAM Electronics says that the NACOS Platinum system supports a full range of remote access and diagnostic functions.

“We are extremely pleased to be selected to deliver NACOS Platinum for one of the world’s largest container shipping lines,” said Maik Stoevhase, managing director of L-3 SAM Electronics. “This order once again confirms the continued high-level acceptance of L-3’s latest family of advanced, ergonomically designed Platinum systems and reaffirms our position as the market leader of integrated navigation and automation systems for the newest generation of container ships.”