Rolls-Royce Marine - Propulsion and Manoeuvring, Diesel Engines, Platform Design, Deck Machinery and Automation and Control Systems

Rolls-Royce's ship design sector for the offshore industry, UT-Design, covers platform supply, anchor handling, cable-laying and multi-purpose vessels as well as seismic survey, intervention service and drilling vessels. We provide vessels with the benefits of cutting-edge technology and safe and flexible solutions, and which are purpose-fitted for their operations.

Rolls-Royce is the largest supplier in the maritime business for propulsion and motion control systems, winches and deck systems and has a full line of medium-speed diesel engines for propulsion and auxiliary powers. The optimised solutions we supply derive from our ability to focus on - and respond to - the needs of our customers. The results are optimised designs, long-term reliability and functionality, customised to each vessel.

Propulsion for offshore exploration and production vessels

Rolls-Royce provides the widest range of propulsion and manoeuvring products for this sector from a single supplier. Demanding applications include low-noise equipment characteristics for seismic operations and propulsors able to handle dynamic positioning and movement of large offshore installations.

Propulsion and manoeuvring systems can be supplied as integrated packages for: seismic ships, drillships, semi-sub rigs/jack-up rigs, production test ships, FPSOs/FSUs, shuttle tankers, intervention vessels, pipe-layers and crane vessels.

OE&P propulsion and manoeuvring - azimuth thrusters

Most of the Rolls-Royce propulsion and manoeuvring activities in the OE&P sector are centred on an unrivalled range of azimuth thrusters of various types, including retractable, swing-up and containerised units and models specifically designed for underwater mounting and removal. Aquamaster and Ulstein Propeller were closely matched rivals in the offshore thruster market and their combined forces within Rolls-Royce gives the company by far the largest market share in this sector.

Mermaid pod propulsion system

Also meeting success in the offshore thruster market is the Mermaid pod propulsion system developed by Kamewa in association with Alstom. Early references for the new system include installations on three semi-submersible drilling rigs.

Diesel engines

Key Rolls-Royce products supplied to the OE&P sector include prime movers for propulsion and power generation. The Rolls-Royce medium speed Bergen diesel engine portfolio comprises the comprehensive range of established Bergen B, K and the newly developed Bergen B 32:40 engine engines to span outputs from 885kW to 9,000kW.

An all-new Bergen C engine type with five, six, eight and nine cylinders in line and 12, 16 and 18 cylinders in V-formation will be manufactured, spanning the power range from 1,200kW to 5,400kW at the rating of 300kW per cylinder. It is designed as a particularly compact and easy-to-service unit with a highly competitive fuel consumption, meeting current and anticipated future emissions standards.

Gas turbine powered auxiliary power packs are also available in an extensive range from the small Eurodyn rotary gas turbine, through the larger Allison series, to high power Rolls-Royce aero-derived units.

Offshore exploration and production platform design

Rolls-Royce has expertise in the design and packaging of specialist OE&P platforms. Its UT-Designs have been regarded as trend-setting in the development of new offshore vessel designs for 25 years.

OE&P tasks handled by vessels from the UT-Design portfolio include:

• Well intervention
• Drilling
• Production
• Extended well testing
• Anti-pollution testing
• Seismic research vessels

Exploration and production deck machinery

As well as winches and windlasses for the usual ships' mooring and anchoring needs, a wide range of specialist. Rauma Brattvaag deck machinery and systems meet the particular demands imposed by OE&P operations.

These include turret and mooring equipment, turret bearings, chain stoppers, fairleads and control and monitoring systems. Bulk cargo handling systems are also supplied to handle commodities such as mud, cement or barite used on offshore drilling platforms.

Automation and controls for exploration and production

Marine Electrical Systems is focused on meeting customer demand for integrated electronics, networking products into an effective and efficient system for power, propulsion and motion control.

UMAS control system interface

Automation systems manage both human and control system interfaces. In a complex vessel there will be more than 5,000 individual in/out connections, and many sub-systems to take care of. The well-known Ulstein Multi-functional Automation System (UMAS) from Rolls-Royce can include alarm and monitoring, control systems, tank sounding and the power management system. UMAS can also interface with other ship systems such as the load calculator, maintenance systems and miscellaneous machinery equipment.