Kongsberg Maritime unveils new retractable azimuth thrusters

ULE PM-type thrusters are the smallest retractable units on the market for any given power requirement, according to Kongsberg Maritime.

An integrated electric prime mover mounted very low between the steering gear saves more than a metre in vertical space in an engineering compartment.

Kongsberg’s design process for this series focused on reducing the size and boosting the efficiency of thrusters to be installed on vessels with limited onboard space.

“We took a hard look at our thruster design after seeing the challenges our customers face finding the right equipment with optimal size-to-performance ratios and that work with their vessel designs and operating profiles,” said Kongsberg Maritime product manager for retractable thrusters Pasi Villanen.

“Thanks to thorough testing, these new ULE PM-type thrusters are now the best-performing units in their size, which makes them a perfect choice for auxiliary propulsion.”