HELSINKI/XIAMEN – Finland’s power electronics expert The Switch, a subsidiary of Japan’s BEMAC Corporation, has secured a contract to deliver single drives for shaft generators on four advanced Aframax tankers currently under construction in China.
The 113,600-deadweight-ton vessels are being built at the Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry yard in Fujian Province. Designed by the Shanghai Ship Research and Design Institute (SDARI), the ships will feature dual-fuel propulsion systems powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), aligning with growing industry demands for greener marine operations.
Delivery of the tankers is scheduled for the first half of 2027, with UK-based Union Maritime Ltd. (UML) confirmed as the future operator. The fleet expansion is a strategic move by UML to further its sustainability ambitions.
The Switch’s single drives are engineered to manage the power output from each vessel’s two-stroke main engine, contributing to enhanced operational efficiency. By optimizing fuel consumption, the drives are also expected to significantly reduce harmful emissions.
Supporting the installation is Swiss marine technology firm WinGD, which will integrate its power take-off (PTO) system with the drives. Stefan Goranov, Head of Integrated Energy Solutions at WinGD, expressed confidence in The Switch’s technology, emphasizing the collaboration’s shared goal of delivering sustainable marine solutions.
This latest contract builds on a growing relationship between WinGD and UML. In April, WinGD signed a deal to provide hybrid energy systems for four additional wind-assisted tankers under construction at Xiamen Shipbuilding. Those vessels will be the first to feature WinGD’s X-EL Integrated Energy system on newbuild tankers.
Union Maritime, headquartered in London, currently operates a fleet of approximately 64 vessels, primarily consisting of tankers and bulk carriers. The company plans to expand its fleet by 47 additional units between 2025 and 2028, with options for further growth. The LNG-powered Aframax tankers from Xiamen are key elements of UML’s vision to develop a fully sustainable, low-emissions fleet.
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