Dolphin Podded Propulsion

Seven Seas Voyager, the new 50,000gt cruise liner under construction by T. Mariotti at its Genoa yard, will be among the first ships to be equipped with the new Dolphin podded propulsion system jointly developed by STN ATLAS Marine Electronics and John Crane-Lips. Podded propulsors for the system, which is due for delivery early next year, are designed to deliver 2x7000 kW at 170 rpm. Main features include integration of a powerful electric drive into a hydro-dynamically optimised pod below ship, resulting in a directly driven propeller.

Dolphin has been developed for power ranges extending from 3MW to more than 19MW and is suitable for a wide variety of vessels designed for high speed and good maneuverability. With a continuous rotation angle of 360° in the vertical axis, the pod ensures optimum maneuverability for commercial vessels as well as those engaged in offshore dynamic positioning.
The standard drive of the fixed-pitch propeller includes an air-cooled six-phase synchronous motor. Gears, shaft systems, rudders and stern thrusters forming part of conventional electric drives are not required. The system's shaft is protected within its casing by a combination of face and lip seals.