An azimuth thruster is a configuration of marine propellers placed in pods that can be rotated to any horizontal angle (azimuth), making a rudder redundant. These give ships better maneuverability than a fixed propeller and rudder system.
A propulsor is a mechanical device that gives propulsion. The word is commonly used in the marine vernacular, and implies a mechanical assembly that is more complicated than a propeller. The Kort nozzle, pump-jet and rim-driven thruster are examples.
Aircraft equipped with contra-rotating propellers (CRP) coaxial contra-rotating propellers, or high-speed propellers, apply the maximum power of usually a single piston engine or turboprop engine to drive a pair of coaxial propellers in contra-rotation. Two propellers are arranged one behind the other, and power is transferred from the engine via a planetary gear or spur gear transmission. Contra-rotating propellers are also known as counter-rotating propellers, although the term counter-rotating propellers is much more widely used when referring to airscrews on separate non-coaxial shafts turning in opposite directions.
The Voith Schneider Propeller (VSP) is a specialized marine propulsion system (MPS) manufactured by the Voith Group based on a cyclorotor design. It is highly maneuverable, being able to change the direction of its thrust almost instantaneously. It is widely used on tugs and ferries.
A Z-drive is a type of marine propulsion unit. Specifically, it is an azimuth thruster. The pod can rotate 360 degrees allowing for rapid changes in thrust direction and thus vessel direction. This eliminates the need for a conventional rudder.
Azipod is a trademarked azimuth thruster pod design, a marine propulsion unit consisting of a fixed pitch propeller mounted on a steerable gondola ("pod") containing the electric motor driving the propeller, allowing ships to be more maneuverable. They were developed in Finland in the late 1980s jointly by Wärtsilä Marine, Strömberg and the Finnish National Board of Navigation.
The Finnish maritime cluster is a cluster of Finnish companies in maritime industries. In 2016 the total turnover was estimated at 13 billion euros and it employed 48,000 people.
An L-drive is a type of azimuth thruster where the electric motor is mounted vertically, removing the second bevel gear from the drivetrain. Azimuth thruster pods can be rotated through a full 360 degrees, allowing for rapid changes in thrust direction and eliminating the need for a conventional rudder. This form of power transmission is called a L-drive because the rotary motion has to make one right angle turn, thus looking a bit like the letter "L". This name is used to make clear the arrangement of drive is different from Z-drive.
MT Indiga was an ice-strengthened product tanker that sailed under the Finnish flag in 1976–2003 and under the Russian flag in 2003–2021. After her modernization in 1994 she became the second merchant ship, after her sister ship Varzuga, to be equipped with an electric azimuth thruster called Azipod.
MT Varzuga was an ice-strengthened product tanker that sailed under the Finnish flag in 1977–2003 and under the Russian flag in 2003–2021. After her modernization in 1993, she became the first merchant ship to be equipped with Azipod, an electric azimuthing propulsion unit developed in Finland in the late 1980s. She was also the first non-Soviet ship to transit the Northern Sea Route.
A double acting ship is a type of icebreaking ship designed to travel forwards in open water and thin ice, but turn around and proceed astern (backwards) in heavy ice conditions. In this way, the ship can operate independently in severe ice conditions without icebreaker assistance but retain better open water performance than traditional icebreaking vessels.
MSV Botnica is a multipurpose offshore support vessel and icebreaker built by Finnyards in Rauma, Finland, in 1998. She was the newest and technically most advanced state-owned icebreaker of Finland until 2012, when she was sold to the Port of Tallinn for 50 million euro. Botnica is used as an escort icebreaker in the Baltic Sea during the winter months, but carries out subsea and offshore construction works worldwide during the open water season.
Schottel is a manufacturer of propulsion and steering systems for ships and offshore applications. The company founder Josef Becker invented the rudderpropeller, a z-drive, in 1950. Today the company develops and manufactures azimuth propulsion, maneuvering and steering systems. In 2014 the subsidiary Schottel Hydro was founded to bundle up the company activities in the hydrokinetic energy segment.
Moskva is a Russian Project 21900 diesel-electric icebreaker. Built at Baltic Shipyard in 2008, she was the first non-nuclear-powered icebreaker built in Russia after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Sankt-Peterburg is a Russian diesel-electric icebreaker. She was built at Baltic Shipyard in 2009 as the second vessel for Project 21900, the first series of non-nuclear icebreakers built in Russia after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. She has an identical sister ship, the 2008-built Moskva.
Murmansk is a Russian Project 21900M diesel-electric icebreaker. While her construction was contracted to Vyborg Shipyard in Russia, she was built at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard in Finland and delivered to Rosmorport in 2016.
Novorossiysk is a Russian Project 21900M diesel-electric icebreaker. She was built by Vyborg Shipyard in Russia and delivered to Rosmorport in 2016.
Sanmar Denizcilik is a Turkish firm that operates its own fleet of tugboats, and builds tugboats for its own fleet, and for other shipping firms. The firm was founded in 1976 by Orhan Gürün and Gökҫen Seven. It remains a privately held firm, with its board of directors chaired by Ali Gürün.
A marine thruster is a device for producing directed hydrodynamic thrust mounted on a marine vehicle, primarily for maneuvering or propulsion. There are a variety of different types of marine thrusters and each of them plays a role in the maritime industry. Marine thrusters come in many different shapes and sizes, for example screw propellers, Voith-Schneider propellers, waterjets, ducted propellers, tunnel bow thrusters, and stern thrusters, azimuth thrusters, rim-driven thrusters, ROV and submersible drive units. A marine thruster consists of a propeller or impeller which may be encased in some kind of tunnel or ducting that directs the flow of water to produce a resultant force intended to obtain movement in the desired direction or resist forces which would cause unwanted movement. The two subcategories of marine thrusters are for propulsion and maneuvering, the maneuvering thruster typically in the form of bow or stern thrusters and propulsion thrusters ranging from Azimuth thrusters to Rim Drive thrusters.
Vladivostok is a Russian diesel-electric icebreaker and the lead ship of Project 21900M icebreakers. She was built by Vyborg Shipyard in Russia and delivered to Rosmorport in 2015.
