GATE Rudder System as a Retrofit for the Next Generation Propulsion and Steering of Ships

Project Information

GATERS

Grant agreement ID: 860337

DOI

10.3030/860337

Project closed

EC signature date 4 May 2020

Start date 1 February 2021

End date 31 January 2024

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 5 878 364,25

EU contribution

€ 4 999 509,98

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - GATERS (GATE Rudder System as a Retrofit for the Next Generation Propulsion and Steering of Ships)

Reporting period: 2022-08-01 to 2024-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The GATERS project aims to demonstrate the first retrofit application of the novel propulsion and manoeuvring device, "Gate Rudder System (GRS)", and it exploits a more practical and cost-effective way of greener propulsion of ships. By taking advantage of the remarkable fuel saving (max of 14% in trials and 30% in-service) and excellent slow-speed manoeuvrability of the GRS, GATERS demonstrates significantly reduced emissions from ships, particularly within ports and coastal areas, to challenge the current and future legislative requirements for emissions. GATERS brings together 18 technology experts and prime stakeholders to demonstrate and exploit the benefits of the GRS through two complementary deliverables: (1) First retrofit application of the GRS by designing, installing and operating on a target coastal commercial ship; (2) Concept exploration of the retrofit GRS for the oceangoing shipping operations, including fleet level, if the GRS can be the next-generation ship propulsion system. GATERS has three specific objectives: (1) To provide solutions (by experimental and numerical procedure and tool developments) to the technical challenges of retrofitting; (2) The detailed design, manufacturing, and installation of the retrofit system on a full-scale target ship for demonstration; (3) The impact assessment of retrofitting in terms of the regulatory and life cycle cost aspects, including fleet-level operations through the comprehensive communication, dissemination and exploitation activities supported by the project Industry Advisory Board.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In this first period of GATERS, eight Work Packages (WP) have been active out of its nine. WP1 involved the gate rudder system (GRS) design tool and procedure development; WP2, the project's target ship performance monitoring and sea trials; WP3, the GRS retrofit design for the target ship; WP4, the GRS manufacturing and installation on the target ship; WP5, the regulatory impact assessment of the GRS; WP7, the communication, dissemination and exploitation (CDE) of the project results; WP8, the project management; and WP9, the ethics requirements. Through WP1, the best procedure for conducting retrofit GRS design and developing design tools using comprehensive scaled model testing and computational methods has been under development. The retrofit GRS for the 90m cargo vessel MV ERGE has been designed using these tools and procedures, hence meeting the project's critical milestone (MS1). The retrofit GRS detailed design has progressed further, and the specification of the twin steering gear and Autopilot was made in WP3, including the CAD drawings and the necessary class approval from the Bureau Veritas. Manufacturing of the GRS, steering gear, and Autopilot purchasing is currently underway in WP4 to be installed on MV ERGE in February 2023. MV ERGE was equipped with a performance monitoring system in WP2. The associated performance data is being collected until the GRS retrofit and will continue with the GRS-equipped MV ERGE to demonstrate the ultimate benefits of the retrofit GRSin WP2. WP5 is progressing with the impact assessment of the target ship with GRS on the existing IMO and EU regulations, mainly involving GHG emissions. WP6 will start in the second period for the life cycle cost impact assessment of the GRS. WP7 has been very active with intensive CDE activities. With the early establishment of the project CDE tools (website and social media platforms, etc.), comprehensive CDE activities were conducted, e.g. participating in 14 international forums and conferences; in three global exhibitions (COP'26, POSIDONIA'22, SMM'22); submitting technical discussions in ITTC and JTTC; through interactions with three other EC collaborative projects (H2020 RAMSESS, VENTURE, COPROPEL); organising the dedicated GATERS webinar; 6-monthly GATERS Newsletter publications; close interaction with the GATERS IAB members and expanding the membership by the participation of a large coaster ship consortium (KOSDER); winning two prestigious awards related to GRS, The RINA-QinetiQ innovation award 2022 and TRA’2022 Senior Researcher's award.
In summary, GATERS is on target to achieve its first two main objectives. So far, the tools and procedure development and the retrofit design have been established; the manufacturing of GRS is underway to retrofit MV ERGE in month 24 (February 2023). Although there will be six month "local" delay in retrofitting the target ship due to the Covid and novelty-related teething issues, the GATERS partners are confident this will not have any critical impact on the project objectives, duration and cost.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Gate Rudder System (GRS) is the most effective "sole" energy saving device (ESD), as demonstrated on the four “new build” ships in Japan. GATERS aimed to demonstrate the GRS' success by the "retrofitting" process, which is beyond the state-of-the-art and its associated impacts on the environment and associated regulations and through the life cycle cost at different ship types, including fleet levels. The GRS is a flexible propulsion/steering system that can be applied to broader types and sizes of ships operating in the deep sea (oceangoing) and coastal regions, as explored in GATERS. The application of GRS will not only have a significant positive impact on fuel saving and GHG emission, but it will also positively impact SOx, NOx and PM pollution, particularly around ports and coastal regions. This is being demonstrated in GATERS through the superior low-speed manoeuvrability of the GRS compared to the conventional rudder system in WP1. In order to meet the IMO's regulatory framework targets through EEDI, EEXI and CII, a more favourable position of the GRS relative to other ESD applications are being explored in WP5. The environmental benefits of the GRS are complemented by increased take-up potential through the demonstration of its cost-effectiveness analysis as explored in WP6 and demonstrated on the target ship. Another most attractive environmental impact of the GRS has been the significant reduction of the underwater radiated noise (URN) levels which was recently discovered through the full-scale URN measurements on a "new build" vessel in Japan and the recent GATERS cavitation tunnel tests on the target vessel with the "retrofit GRS" in WP1, for the first time.
GRS technology originated in Japan and is being exposed to Europe and the world, contributed by the initial R&D efforts of the coordinator partner (UoS) of GATERS and supported by all the GATERS project partners. These efforts attracted the major world/European stakeholder company, Wartsila Propulsion, as the power plant and marine propulsion system manufacturer, who is also a member of the GATERS Industry Advisory Board, to purchase the worldwide commercial marketing license of the GRS. The GATERS partners now have a sub-licence agreement with Wartsila for further commercialising the GRS as a retrofit in the European market. Therefore, GATERS has already had a major impact on the European marine system manufacturing and maritime industries by opening the exploitation doors for the Gate Rudder Technology. Yet, the project is further developing the concept to apply as a retrofit to take its commercial and environmental advantages further to increase its socio-economic impact.

Gate Rudder System