Naval orders for Rolls-Royce Marine

Rolls-Royce has announced that it has won two significant contracts from the French and Korean navies.

The French Navy has ordered podded propulsion equipment and stabiising fins worth £7.5 million. The equipment is destined for the latest Mistral class amphibious assault ship.

This order follows earlier contracts to supply podded propulsors and stabilisers on the first two ships in the class – Mistral and Tonnerre – which entered service in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The third vessel, to be built by STX Europe, is expected to enter service in 2012.

Rolls-Royce president ? naval, Andy Marsh said: “The contract recognises our ability to deliver a wide range of propulsion and motion control equipment and underlines our important relationship with the French Navy. We are proud to play a part in the delivery of the Mistral class.”

The company’s Mermaid pod propulsor is described as a highly optimised propulsor and steering device incorporating two electric motors housed in two steel pods, mounted on the hull of the ship. The pod acts as a rudder to steer the ship and the motor drives a propeller. Converteam will supply the electric propulsion motors and power converters.

The stabilising fins are retractable and can be deployed from their housing in the ship?s hull to stabilise the vessel when sailing through rough seas. Once deployed, stabilisers pivot to counteract the roll of the sea to lift the vessel in a similar concept to that of an aircraft?s wing. Stabilisers perform an essential role in steadying a ship during military operations such as the use of weaponry, refuelling or during the take off and landing of aircraft.

The podded propulsors will be manufactured in the Rolls-Royce facility in Kristinehamn, Sweden and the company?s Dunfermline facility in Scotland will produce the stabilisers. Final assembly and tests of the pod propulsors will take place in Converteam?s rotating machines factory in Nancy, France.

The contract with the Republic of Korea (RoK) Navy covers propulsion equipment for four new tugboats.

Each vessel will be equipped with two azimuth thrusters, designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce. The thrusters are claimed to provide greater manoeuvrability than a traditional propeller and rudder system.

This £2.0 million order follows a £4.4 million order earlier this year to supply controllable pitch propellers for the RoK Navy?s prototype FFX frigate, the first of an initial batch of six ships.

Rolls-Royce naval sales manager – North East Asia, John Yi said: “The Republic of Korea Navy continues its impressive programme to renew its fleet, and I?m delighted that Rolls-Royce technology continues to play a key role in the modernisation of the country?s naval capability.

“Our gas turbine technology has already proved a success on the KDX III destroyer programme and this latest order broadens the range of products we are delivering to customers in Korea.”

Lieutenant Commander Lee Kwang Young, added: “The four tugboats will be built in the Hanook Shipyard, with the first due to enter service in 2011. We already operate 12 tug boats with Rolls-Royce azimuth Thrusters, meeting all our operational requirements.”

Rolls-Royce has been supplying the RoK Navy for more than 20 years and as the company?s marine product range has grown, so has the relationship with the Navy and Korea?s shipyards. In addition to the azimuth thrusters, the company already supplies gas turbines, propellers, water jets, bearings, lift systems and electrical control equipment to the RoK Navy.

Rolls-Royce says that it supplies 70 navies with products ranging from gas turbines and diesel engines, to propulsion, motion control and electrical systems, and has a growing network of marine service facilities in 34 countries.