Revolutionizing Marine Power: MARIN Tests Showcase ABB Dynafin™ Propulsion’s Unmatched Efficiency

Leading maritime research hub MARIN (Maritime Research Institute Netherlands) has confirmed the notable performance of ABB Dynafin™ propulsion technology. Their tests, conducted in the Concept Basin, demonstrated a remarkable open water efficiency rating of 0.808 at a speed of 18 knots for a full-scale 3 MW propulsion unit. This enhanced efficiency translates into critically important fuel savings and reduced emissions for ships.

Unveiled in may 2023 after ten years of growth, ABB Dynafin™ reimagines ship propulsion. Its innovative design features an electric motor that drives a large horizontal wheel with vertical blades, each powered by individual motors to replicate the movement of a whale’s tail. This unique mechanism allows for simultaneous propulsion and steering, optimizing both thrust and precision.

During extensive open water trials, MARIN’s team collaborated with experts from ABB Marine & Ports and ABB Corporate Research in Sweden to analyse data confirming the system’s efficiency gains. The results showed that at 18 knots, ABB Dynafin™ achieves up to an impressive 81 percent open water efficiency.

Jie dang, Senior Project Manager at MARIN, explained their methodology: “We assess hydrodynamic forces while accounting for all mechanical losses.” René Bosman added details about their setup: “We utilized calibrated instruments like torque transducers to measure overall forces accurately.”

janne Pohjalainen from ABB Marine & Ports emphasized how this testing provides customers with reliable performance validation: “Our accomplished tests align perfectly with our expectations based on computational fluid dynamics analysis.”

ABB’s expertise in robotics plays a crucial role in enhancing the dynamic capabilities of Dynafin™, according to Bin Liu from ABB Corporate Research Center. He noted that integrating advanced robotics has led to exceptional motion control performance.

Earlier studies by OSK-ShipTech A/S also highlighted potential energy savings—up to 22 percent less energy consumption for passenger vessels using this technology compared to customary systems.The recent tests confirm that ABB Dynafin™ is ready for commercial deployment. Initial applications are aimed at medium-sized vessels such as ferries and small cargo ships within the power range of 1–4 MW per unit.

As global shipping strives toward sustainability goals set by the International Maritime Institution—aiming for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by around 2050—ABB Dynafin™ was honored with Spain’s Retina ECO Award 2024 as an innovation positively impacting climate change efforts.

as we navigate towards greener maritime solutions, technologies like ABB Dynafin™ not only promise operational efficiencies but also contribute significantly towards reducing our environmental footprint on oceans worldwide.