Finnish power electronics firm The Switch, a subsidiary of Japan’s BEMAC Corporation, has secured a contract to supply single drives for shaft generators on four LNG-powered Aframax tankers currently under construction at Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry in China’s Fujian Province.
The 113,600-deadweight-tonne (dwt) tankers are being built for UK-based shipowner Union Maritime Ltd. (UML), with delivery scheduled for the first half of 2027. The vessels, designed by Shanghai Ship Research and Design Institute (SDARI), will be equipped with dual-fuel propulsion systems optimized for liquefied natural gas.
According to The Switch, its single-drive systems will control the power output from the tankers’ two-stroke main engines, enabling efficient energy management, reduced fuel consumption, and lower emissions. The drives are part of a broader Power Take-Off (PTO) system to be delivered in collaboration with Swiss marine technology firm WinGD.
Stefan Goranov, Head of Integrated Energy Solutions at WinGD, praised the new partnership, expressing confidence in The Switch’s technology and both companies’ shared commitment to delivering sustainable maritime solutions.
The announcement follows a recent agreement, signed in April, under which WinGD will also provide hybrid power and energy systems for another four wind-assisted tankers being built for UML at the same shipyard. That project marked the first time WinGD’s X-EL Integrated Energy Solution was selected for newbuild tankers.
Union Maritime, headquartered in London, currently manages a fleet of approximately 64 vessels, primarily comprising tankers and bulk carriers. The company is set to expand significantly, with up to 47 new vessels expected to be delivered between 2025 and 2028. The new LNG-powered tankers from Xiamen Shipbuilding form a key part of UML’s sustainability strategy to develop a fully green fleet.
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