Rolls-Royce power for first seabed mining ship

The pioneering vessel, designed by Singapore’s SeaTech Solutions for Dubai-based owner Marine Assets Corporation (MAC), will be powered by six B33:45L9A engines providing 31.4 megawatts of power.

When the 227m-long, 40m-wide mining ship will be delivered towards the end of 2017. It will operate under long-term charter to Nautilus Minerals at the Solwara 1 project in the Bismarck Sea, off Papua New Guinea, and will be used to extract high grade copper, gold, silver and ore from the seabed at depths of 1,600m.

Mark Reeves, chief operating officer, MAC said: “It is very exciting to be building a ‘world’s first’. We have a long history of using Rolls-Royce power and propulsion equipment, so we know the vessel will perform well.

“Since becoming involved in this project it is apparent that there is huge potential in subsea mining. Nautilus is the market leader in this segment and I believe Solwara 1 is the first project that has actually come off the drawing board. Site surveys and sampling has proven that the subsea mining sector can be extremely lucrative compared to land mining, with mineral content per tonne of ore considerably higher than land based mines.”

John Knudsen, president – commercial marine, Rolls-Royce said: “This contract is a major step forward in the development of our new family of medium-speed engines designed to suit a wide range of ship types. We are very proud that the B33:45 generator sets have been selected to power this pioneering ship, which will be at the forefront of a whole new chapter in underwater exploration.

“Deep sea mining is an exciting new industry, and with our extensive pedigree in the offshore business, we look forward to working with Marine Assets Corporation and their partners in enabling them to become first movers in the extraction of valuable minerals from the seabed.”

“This order underlines a long and prosperous co-operation between Rolls-Royce, Fujian Mawei and MAC, who previously ordered five semi-submersible accommodation units and two accommodation vessels, all equipped with Rolls-Royce engines and propulsion.”

The contract marks the first multiple order for the B33:45 engine since its introduction to the market in September last year. Each engine will also feature Tier III-compliant selective catalyst reduction technology. The B33:45 engines offer a 20% increase in power per cylinder while reducing fuel consumption, emissions and lifecycle operating costs.

Rolls-Royce will deliver the six nine-cylinder engines to the Fuijan Mawei yard from March 2016. Three underwater mountable thrusters, two retractable Azimuth thrusters and two bow thrusters also form part of the supply agreement.