MIAMI, Fla. - Novatug and GE Marine announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) whereby they will jointly market Novatug's novel Carrousel tug system, the two companies reported today at the International Tug & Salvage Convention and Exhibition.
As part of the MOU, GE and Novatug will train their sales forces in the commercial and technical attributes of Novatug's Carrousel tug system and GE's medium-speed diesel engine technology and its use with this revolutionary tug design, respectively. In addition, the two companies will develop joint marketing and sales collateral as appropriate.
This MOU comes on the heels of a contract whereby GE will supply Multraship, Ternuezen, The Netherlands, with two, GE medium-speed, 12-cylinder diesel engines to power a Carrousel tug that is slated for operation in 2005. It will be the first newbuild application of this revolutionary 360-degree rotating hull design.
The new Carrousel design is characterized by a radically different concept: By placing a ring around the tug's superstructure, with the towing wire connected to either a hook or winch on the ring, the towing wire can be rotated freely from the tug's hull. This leaves no need for rotation of the tug's propulsion by means of complex thrusters.
"This is an exciting agreement for both companies, with the aim of commercializing and furthering the experience base of the novel Carrousel tug system," said Walter Jacquet, commercial manager of Novatug.
"Our diesels offer reliable and proven experience, with more than 15,000 engines in service in demanding environments the world over," said John Manison, manager of GE Marine & Stationary Power in Erie, Pa. "This marketing agreement will be beneficial for both companies as we look to broaden our reach with customers in the tug and salvage industry," Manison added.
The first Carrousel tug was a retrofitted vessel. In 1999, Multraship Towage & Salvage's Multratug 12 was converted into the world's first Carrousel tug. After extensive tests to validate model results and to investigate the practical use of the system in an actual application, the retrofitted tug went into service in 2002 on the sea-canal in Ghent-Terneuzen.
The new compact Carrousel tug will use two GE diesel engines, each rated at 3,070 shaft horsepower (shp) for total system propulsion of 6,140 shp. A shipyard is now being selected to build the 24-meter vessel, which is expected to go into service in the harbors of southern Holland.
Novatug is a Rotterdam-based company formed to develop and market the Carrousel system.
GE Marine is a division of GE Transportation of the General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). GE Marine -- one of the world's leading manufacturers of marine products -- manufactures gas turbines (6,000 to 57,300 shaft horsepower), medium speed diesels (1,600 to 4,000 shaft horsepower), and main reduction gearing for marine and diesel-electric industrial applications. For more information, visit www.getransportation.com/general/marine_stationary/marine_default.asp
For further information, contact:
Lela R. Katzman, Full Spectrum Communications, tel/fax: (518) 785-4416, email: [email protected]