Periodic Reporting for period 1 - GATERS (GATE Rudder System as a Retrofit for the Next Generation Propulsion and Steering of Ships)
Période du rapport: 2021-02-01 au 2022-07-31
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.
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.