GE’s Marine Solutions (www.gemarinesolutions.com) was chosen by ASMAR Shipyards to provide the marine propulsion system for the Chilean Navy’s new Antarctic icebreaking Polar Class vessel, which will be responsible for search and rescue missions, scientific research, logistic support and resupplying bases in the Chilean Antarctic Territory.

The 110m-long vessel will have GE’s full marine propulsion system to power and propel it, including diesel electric propulsion, GE’s International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Tier 3-compliant diesel engine, a complete propulsion shaft line and propeller, a tunnel thruster, SeaStream Dynamic Positioning (DP) and vessel automation system.

The vessel has received Lloyd’s Register PC 5 polar class notation, reflecting its strong icebreaking capability (with an installed power of 14.5MW, it will be capable of breaking 1m-thick ice at 3 knots).

Lieutenant Commander Jorge Maldonado, project manager for the Chilean Navy, said: “The necessary ice-going capabilities require the machinery onboard the vessel — such as the main propulsion system — to be highly robust, to ensure the safety and the survivability of the vessel.

"Moreover, given the vessel’s specific mission profile, we are also looking for clean propulsion technology that will meet the requirement of the highly stringent environment regulations in the Antarctic area.”

GE’s marine IMO Tier 3 diesel engine reduces key emissions by up to 70%; it also provides a significantly less complex solution than urea-based selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems, as it does not require any additional on-board SCR equipment or storage provisions for urea.

Moreover, GE’s SeaStream DP system can achieve fuel savings up to 10% (or more), with an associated nitrous oxide reduction up to 20%.