Peripheral thruster
Peripheral thruster constitutes an innovative technological solution for shipping industry on an international scale. This technology is the effect of several years of research carried out in cooperation with the accredited laboratory of the Maritime Advanced Research Centre (CTO S.A.) and the Gdańsk University of Technology. The major advantage of the thruster is to increase the vessel’s manoeuvrability in ports and on inland or marine waters what undoubtedly contributes to the safety enhancement of waterway transport.
The unique feature of Mapalu Pawel Łuniewski peripheral thruster is the place of its installation. The most part of the products available on the international market are installed in a transverse tunnel low down in the hull. Mapalu Paweł Łuniewski solution is based on the absence of this tunnel and the placement of the thruster in a special chamber from which the thruster extends when in use. What is more, the absence of the tunnel provides an additional space and improves access to spaces in the bow or stern section that are normally blocked.
The peripheral thruster can be successfully used at speeds up to 8 knots, what constitutes a key advantage of this technology. In contrast, other products of this type are used generally at speeds not exceeding 4 knots. The peripheral thruster can be applied in a wide range of velocity while there is no need to increase the nominal power of the thruster’s propulsion engine. This means as the velocity of the vessel increases, peripheral thruster performs the maneuver without generating increasing energy demand. This is surely a desirable feature from both, an economic and environmental point of view.
