Marin confirms ABB Dynafin efficiency

Tests at Marin’s Concept Basin in the Netherlands demonstrate significant fuel savings and reduced ship emissions compared to traditional propulsion systems.

“ABB Dynafin is all about extremely high efficiency, and this model scale testing gives a good platform for our customers to verify its performance,” said Janne Pohjalainen, global product line manager for ABB Dynafin, ABB Marine & Ports.

“Our testing has been really successful and what we have seen fully aligns with our expectations from computational fluid dynamics analysis.”

Launched in May 2023 after a decade of development, ABB Dynafin introduces a revolutionary approach to ship propulsion. Its electric motor powers a large horizontal wheel with vertical blades, each individually controlled to mimic the motion of a whale’s tail. This unique design allows the system to both propel and steer the vessel, optimising thrust and precision.

During the open water tests, Marin, along with ABB Marine & Ports and ABB Corporate Research specialists, validated the system’s efficiency.

The results showed that at 18 knots, ABB Dynafin achieved up to 81% open water efficiency at full scale.

This builds on previous findings from an independent study by OSK-ShipTech, which concluded that a passenger vessel would save 22% in propulsion energy compared to conventional shaftline systems.

The tests confirm that ABB Dynafin is ready for market, with initial applications planned for medium-sized and smaller vessels, such as ferries, offshore support vessels and yachts, in the 1 – 4 MW power range.

ABB Dynafin was recognised by Spain’s Retina ECO Award 2024, as a ‘technological innovation with a positive impact on sustainability and climate change’. However, The Motorship recognised the significance of the propulsion system even earlier, awarding it the prestigious Motorship Award at the Propulsion & Future Fuels Conference in 2023.