The Shoyo, completed by Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., has been selected by the Japanese naval architects as a “ship of the year”. According to the Society of Naval Architects of Japan, the 3,128 gt Shoyo was selected from the viewpoints of social significance and advanced technical characteristics.
The ship is equipped with advanced measuring devices and instruments, and is powered by the first application of a new generation of ‘quiet’ diesel-electric drive. The Shoyo uses two ADD 30V, 4050 hp main engines driving electrical generators powering two 2,100kW propulsion motors to provide a service speed of 17 knots. The 98 m long vessel has a cruising range of 12,000 nautical miles and can accommodate 70 scientists and crewmembers.
Pacific Maritime (December 1999)