The North of the Netherlands is still home to a maritime cluster of economic importance. SWZ|Maritime’s November issue reveals what some of these northern maritime companies are working on. Topics covered include CO2 capture, hybrid technology, wind assisted propulsion and virtual reality in ship design.
From Delfzijl, Groningen, Harlingen, Sneek and Heerenveen hundreds of ships are still being managed. At the shipyards along the Winschoterdiep (including Bodewes and Ferus Smit), Eemskanaal (Koninklijke Niestern Sander) and Prinses Margrietkanaal (Barkmeijer), ten to twenty new ships are still delivered each year.
Better times seem to be ahead, because one day, the existing ships for the short sea will be too old to continue to sail economically. Ships built in China will be the first to go, as those of the Groningen shipyards will last considerably longer and are well positioned in the second-hand market. Yet, when new construction is needed, and that time seems to be approaching, then the design agencies and shipyards in the north of the Netherlands have all the knowledge and craftsmanship in house to achieve the desired result. So, all the more reason for SWZ|Maritime to take a look at this maritime cluster.
Articles in the November Special include:
- DEKC Maritime describes how they use virtual reality in the ship design.
- Cadmatic is active in digitalisation of the shipbuilding process with their digital eshare platform, which offers real-time insight into the 3D model a company is working on.
- We take a closer look at the development of the eConowind unit, an autonomously controlled auxiliary wind propulsion system.
- Eekels Technology provides insight into energy optimisation with hybrid technology.
- With ship designer Conoship International, we explore the first Dutch LNG powered dredger Ecodelta and how this vessel was also used in research into carbon capture on board.
- Finally, our editor Gerrit J. de Boer describes Wagenborg’s EasyMax ship design, the Egbert Wagenborg, in detail.
F-series Propellers
The November issue also features the second installment on the development of the Wageningen Propeller Series. The first part of this article (in SWZ|Maritime’s October issue), dealt with the period up to the year 1992. The second part in our November issue continues from there and explains that new developments in testing and analysing techniques, new requirements by the industry and the introduction of new products on the market led to the development of new propeller series between 2011 and 2018.
The November issue is now available in our Archive.
Picture: Always a nice spectacle, launching a ship sideways in the Winschoterdiep. Here the launching of the cement carrier Kongsdal on 12 June this year at Bodewes (picture by Royal Bodewes).
