Caterpillar (Cat) has entrusted the Japanese-Finnish duo with the delivery of an innovative package of electric drive train technology for a series of bulk carriers.

The Switch will deliver two permanent magnet (PM) propulsion machines and four PM generators, which capture mechanical energy and convert it into electric power, as well as two DC-Hubs, two Electronic Bus Links (EBL), and 20 Electronic DC Breakers (EDCB) for each vessel.

"The Switch DC-Hubs […] offer a flexible choice of power generation, energy storage, charging, propulsion and clean power, while the EBL links and protects them. Its unique ability to detect, cut and isolate any potential system error within just 10 microseconds greatly increases vessel redundancy. EDCBs are installed to protect the individual frequency converters within the DC-Hubs," the companies highlighted in a press release.

"The [Cat Marine's] Twin Fin concept is a game-changer within the industry, delivering enhanced power and manoeuvrability, but with decreased energy consumption and emissions. Our innovative drive train technology has been selected to facilitate peak performance and reliability. We see this as a milestone win and huge endorsement of our flexible, economical and environmentally friendly solutions," Ville Parpala, Director, Product Marketing, Marine, Yaskawa Environmental Energy/The Switch, commented.

Photo: Yaskawa/The Switch