Project Presentation: NecoProp

MEYER, Steerprop, Vibrol, Nesti and VTT have joined their forces in the NecoProp co-innovation project to develop a highly efficient propulsion concept for large cruise ships. The aim is to accelerate research and design efforts focused on making ships more sustainable by cutting the needed propulsion power.

The main goal is to significantly increase the propulsive efficiency by 10 % compared to the best currently available solution. As propulsion comprises well over 50 % of the energy consumption on a cruise ship, this will significantly reduce GHG emissions. The project develops a concept utilizing contra rotating propellers (CRP), which will be integrated into the optimized hull form of a large cruise ship. In addition, wind assisted propulsion (sails) are studied to increase the overall efficiency. The goal is to develop a tool to quickly assess the benefit of different sail concepts on varying routes.

In order for the CRP concept to be feasible for cruise ships, the system’s performance in terms of generated noise and vibrations is pivotal. Therefore, one of the key focus areas of the project is to develop a reliable way to validate the noise and vibration levels onboard.  

Within the NecoProp project, MEYER, Steerprop and VTT will jointly develop the hull and propulsor concept for optimal efficiency. Vibrol focuses on developing vibration control methods for marine applications, while Nesti develops quick tools for ship hull structural modelling.

VTT’s public research project will focus on developing new tools, models and methods for hydrodynamic and structural modelling. With the help of these, the performance and soundness of different concepts can be evaluated more accurately during the product design phase.