Kongsberg Maritime (KM) announced it has been awarded a contract with Finnish shipyard Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) to deliver propulsion and steering equipment for two new car and passenger ferries. The vessels will be operated by the Australian company TT-Line for the regular Spirit of Tasmania ferry service – a 10.5-hour journey across the Bass Strait between Melbourne, Victoria and Devonport, Tasmania.
Each vessel will be fitted with two of KM’s Promas combined propulsion and steering systems, which integrate the rudder and controllable pitch propeller to provide highly efficient thrust and maneuverability. Prior to the contract signing, KONGSBERG undertook advanced computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analyses of the Promas units to establish cavitation properties and ensure optimal performance at the vessels’ 26-knot cruising speed. Maneuverability when docking is further aided by four TTC tunnel thrusters.
