Kongsberg Maritime (KM) is pleased to confirm that it will supply an extensive equipment and simulation package for the maritime training vessel MS Gann, helping both to reduce the vessel’s emissions and enhance the education offered on board. The contract, worth 41.2 MNOK, is part of an extensive refit and will include KONGSBERG’s SAVe Energy battery system and hybrid shaft generators, in addition to power management, propulsion control and monitoring systems.

MS Gann – which ran passenger services along the Norwegian coast as the Hurtigruten ship MS Narvikbefore conversion in 2007 – is operated as an upper secondary independent school, backed up by a facility on shore. The school annually educates 135 students in maritime-focused courses including Engineering and Industrial Production and Electrical Engineering, as well as delivering competence-based and statutory courses for the maritime industry. Students live and eat on board the ship, allowing training to be delivered in a real-world maritime environment. In summer, MS Gann offers cruises in Norway and Northern Europe.

Kongsberg Maritime has worked closely with the school since 2018 to tailor an equipment package that meets their training needs and falls within budget. Thanks to KM’s extensive product portfolio, this collaboration has resulted in a scope of supply which will bring MS Gann’s power generation, storage and distribution right up to date, boosting the ship’s green credentials and providing students with a solid grounding in modern vessel electrical systems. The addition of a crew training simulator to the K-Chief 700 Integrated Automation System (IAS) will further assist in day-to-day delivery of power management tuition.

“We look forward to this upgrade, which will help keep our educational offerings future-orientated. The vocational subjects are important for Norway, so this project is one of our contributions to ensuring relevant, digital maritime competence for the future. In addition, it provides clear environmental benefits for the operation of our ship,” says Ingveig Vold, head of the school.

The emphasis on sustainability and 21^st century integrated technology is continued with the addition of Vessel Performance, Kongsberg Maritime’s advanced digital performance monitoring system. By continually assessing input from a range of sensors, Vessel Performance helps the ship owner ensure that their vessel is operating as efficiently and sustainably as possible and helps to pinpoint potential sources of equipment failure early. This facilitates preventive, scheduled maintenance and minimises down time.

“MS Gann is an outstanding resource for teaching maritime life and skills, so it is a privilege to work on this project,” says Per Kristian Vågsæter, Sales Manager for Global Customer Support, Kongsberg Maritime. “With these upgrades, the ship will reduce its emissions considerably, and at the same time the training offered to students will be brought right up to date.”

As well as a 646kWh SAVe Energy battery bank, two hybrid shaft generators, DC switching, K-Chief 700 IAS and Vessel Performance, the delivery will include MCON propulsion control and torque, fuel flow and tank monitoring. KONGSBERG will train up to six crew members in the newly installed equipment, including training for trainers.