“We’re definitely looking to the export market now, especially after the initial feedback from Njord A,” says Dawes. It can be no coincidence that, after knowledgesharing involving DNV GL and Equinor, in mid-2020 the E-GES concept was qualified by an Australian operator for use in higher temperatures. Where offshore asset performance and safety is concerned, it is often observed that where Norway leads others eventually follow. “Other advantages include better onboard comfort due to the absence of the exhaust fumes, heat, noise and vibration.” “From the safety perspective, the launch phase of an evacuation can be executed at a higher sprint speed, so that evacuees can be moved more quickly away from the platform in an emergency,” says Dawes. There are other benefits, which have a more direct impact of safety. While this estimate is based on projected, rather than actual figures, Dawes says cost savings could follow if all-electric freefall lifeboats were inspected every 30 months, compared to annual inspections needed by diesel boats. “That means you may not actually be able to fulfil SOLAS requirements to start the engines periodically as a safety precaution: with the E-GES you can perform all of the checks remotely from land to assure the availability of the boat.”Įquinor has already predicted massive maintenance cost savings, suggesting that an all-electric lifeboat could expect to consume less than 5% of the physical maintenance hours needed for a diesel boat over a five-year period. “Across the industry, there is also a move to reduce manning on platforms and, today, some are non-permanently manned,” adds Dawes. Speaking about smart, digital technology, each of the boats on Njord A has its own email address: its self-diagnostics PLC system alerts shore-based maintenance teams of trend deviations on temperatures, charge or other variables, so that any anomalies can be corrected remotely, or as part of a routine or exceptional visit. “The smart monitoring capability needed for reporting purposes are integrated in electric systems ‘as standard’, while they do not need anything like as much routine maintenance as conventional engines in the first place. “Significant long-term cost savings are achieved through reduced maintenance, and remote monitoring capabilities are also incredibly valuable for offshore operators,” he says. The E-GES is equivalent in many aspects of operational performance to its diesel counterpart but, while many will focus on the ‘green’ dividends of electric propulsion, Georgios Nikoltsis, Manager Technical Department, VIKING emphasizes several areas of superiority.
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