(SPAY, Germany) — Schottel has been selected by Birdon America to supply components for 27 vessels of the U.S. Coast Guard waterways commerce cutter (WCC) program.
Birdon America is designing the cutters and is expected to construct 16 river buoy tenders (WLR) and 11 inland construction tenders (WLIC). The cutters will be built at Birdon’s recently acquired shipyard in Bayou La Batre, Ala. Up to four cutters are expected to be delivered annually over the course of the next eight years, gradually replacing the aging vessels.
Each Schottel rudder propeller (SRP) features an input power of 597 kilowatts (800 horsepower) and a propeller diameter of 4.2 feet. The thrusters are fitted with Schottel’s SDC40 nozzle, which combines compact design and high propulsion efficiency. Hydrodynamically optimized protective grids on the nozzles will increase the safety of the propellers in case of collisions with debris.
Schottel DuroVario-S slipping clutches will allow for smooth startups and overall improved handling of the thrusters for precise manuvering and will reduce the environmental impact during berthing operations. Enabling the WCCs to operate in both deep and shallow water, the SRPs will allow the vessel to achieve a free-running speed of 11 knots or more.
The propulsion system of the WCCs will be equipped with Schottel LeaCon. LeaCon is a sealing system, certified by DNV, that offers protection against the contamination of river water and seawater by operating materials and vice versa. LeaCon works with an intermediate chamber design and multiple seals on the propeller shaft and steering stem that separate lubricants from water. The system is equipped with a monitoring and alarm unit that continuously checks the condition of the seals.
LeaCon is considered a non-oil-to-water interface, thus the thrusters can be operated without environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) and fulfill the current vessel general permit (VGP) regulations. Further, the scope of supply is completed by Schottel’s condition monitoring system MariHub to enable condition-based maintenance via an onboard display.
WCCs are essential to maintain and protect the United States’ inland waterways transportation system. Approximately 630 million tons of cargo move through these waterways annually.
The current inland tender fleet has an average age of more than 57 years and is approaching obsolescence. The new vessels will feature improved habitability and will accommodate mixed-gender crews. The first of the new WCCs is planned to be operational by 2027.
– Schottel
