The Switch, a leading provider of innovative power electronics for the marine industry, has won a contract to deliver the single drives for shaft generators that will be installed on four tankers under construction at Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry in Fujian Province.

The Shanghai Ship Research and Design Institute (SDARI)-designed, 113,600-dwt LNG dual-fuel Aframax vessels are being built for UK-based shipowner Union Maritime and are slated for delivery in the first half of 2027.

Optimising energy efficiency

Swiss-based marine power company and engine developer WinGD is the system integrator for the PTO system.

The Switch’s single drives will manage power output delivered from the ships’ two-stroke engines, ensuring the shaft generators operate as efficiently as possible, thereby helping to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

“WinGD X-EL Integrated Systems aim to maximise overall vessel efficiency by optimising energy flow across all onboard producers and consumers. Finding the right elements for each part of the system is critical. With The Switch, we have absolute confidence in the quality and durability of their technology, as well as their collaborative approach to delivering the best possible outcome for the customer,” said Stefan Goranov, Head of Integrated Energy Solutions at WinGD.

Juha Tennivaara, Vice President Sales at The Switch, added: “This is our first order from WinGD and takes our relationship to the next stage. We are excited to be working with them and hope it will lead to more substantial collaboration in the future. As a premium player in this competitive market, WinGD are a great reference for us.”

Versatile rugged equipment

Connecting shaft generators to a vessel’s AC system is just one use case for The Switch single drives. Others include propulsion (connecting various types of electric motors to the AC system), battery (connecting a battery pack to the AC system) and other green energy sources (connecting fuel cells/solar/wind or other DC sources to the AC system). Both inline and geared drive solutions are available, with PTI-PTO and PTI-PTO-PTH functionality and a power range from 800 A to 5,600 A.

The Switch power electronics are designed specifically for the marine industry and optimised from a systems perspective. For instance, the drive can be directly connected to the vessel’s freshwater cooling system. The Switch power modules feature vibration dampers, and the cabinets have high enclosure protection to withstand the harsh marine environment. Maintenance is quick and easy, thanks to plug-and-play fast connectors.