According to the Shanghai Ship Research and Design Institute (SDARI), the first export-oriented energy-saving side thruster pipe cover product (ECO-COVER), independently developed by SDARI under China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), recently completed its maiden voyage from South Korea to the Middle East aboard the mother ship HMM NARAE. This milestone signifies the successful entry of SDARI’s innovative energy-saving device into the international market.
The HMM NARAE is the first vessel in a series of 38,000 DWT multi-purpose heavy-lift ships custom-designed by SDARI for Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) and built by CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding.
SDARI has proposed an innovative energy-saving design solution tailored to the ship’s bow hull form characteristics: installing a side thruster pipe cover at the bow thruster port to maximize the integrity of the bow hull form during navigation, eliminate additional resistance caused by the thruster port, and achieve energy-saving objectives.
Simultaneously, comprehensive optimization of the side thruster cover was achieved through fluid dynamics, structural, mechanical, and control engineering approaches, ensuring seamless integration between the vessel, cover and side thruster. Model testing confirmed that at design speed, the energy-saving effect of this side thruster pipe cover reaches 6%.
It is understood that the side thruster pipe cover is a novel energy-saving device featuring an intuitive operating principle and direct effectiveness. Since 2017, SDARI has developed three variants of energy-saving side thruster pipe covers, delivering a total of 24 sets to vessels. These products have generated significant benefits for shipowners through their outstanding energy-saving performance.