DMC wins French navy steering contract
For each vessel, DMC will supply two Van der Velden TIMON flap-type rudders including extended trunk and steering foundations together with two Van der Velden COMMANDER Rotary Vane steering systems along with the integrated logistic support.
“We are very pleased to have won this prestigious steering gear contract for these strategically vital vessels,” said Wim Knoester, director of sales and marketing at DMC. “They will underpin the global reach of the French navy for many years to come and we are confident that our TIMON rudders and COMMANDER steering systems will deliver the performance and reliability required of them.”
The rudder design is carried out by DMC’s engineers and will be optimised for the ship’s operational profile, with special focus on cavitation behaviour, course-keeping and manoeuvring. This capability is a result of their open flap linkage mechanisms and side bar flap systems with a 90-degree angle. They also emit minimal noise and vibration.
Designed and manufactured wholly in the Netherlands, COMMANDER Rotary Vane steering systems generate an equal high torque in all possible steering angles and have only one rotating part ensuring relatively low maintenance.
With a fuel and freight capacity of 13,000m³, the ships will provide logistical support to combat vessels of the French navy – in particular the ‘Charles de Gaulle’ carrier group – and its allies.
