GEAR | ABB icebreaking thrusters selected for fleet of newbuild LNG carriers

ABB has secured a contract from Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) to supply a comprehensive power and propulsion package for six new specialised vessels that will transport LNG along Russia’s Northern Sea Route.

Each of the vessels will be fitted with three ABB 17MW azimuth pod thrusters to enable navigation in ice up to 2.1 metres thick, thus minimising the need for icebreaker assistance.

Each propulsion system, where the electric drive motor is in a submerged pod outside the ship’s hull, can rotate 360 degrees to boost manoeuvrability.

Upon delivery starting from 2023, the six vessels will service Arctic LNG 2 – one of the largest industrial projects in the Arctic – and will each have the capacity to transport 170,000 cubic metres of LNG.