Eekels technology to sail the Great Barrier Reef

Eekels will deliver the electrical propulsion (generators, engines, switchboards, drives and automation) for a 69-metres-long DP2 AHT vessel that is being built in Guangzhou in China.

The vessel will be used by the Australian Marine Safety Athority (AMSA) as an emergency towing vessel and for placing and maintaining navigation devices at sea (buoys in particular).

The shipyard (Yuexin in China) and the English shipowner (Gardline) have chosen to award Eekels this order mainly because of Eekels’ expertise in the field of diesel-electric propulsion and the speed and flexibility with which Eekels can realize this project.

The engines (2 of 2.9 MW and 2 of 560 kW) and generators (3 of 2100 kW and 2 of 550 kW) are already in China. The switchboards are produced in China by our partner SaierNico. The drives and automation are built in Kolham.

At the end of December the ship will be launched and in May 2016 the test sea trial is expected.

To realize this ambitious planning, the drives and the automation system will be transported to China by plane.