Fast Group-Joint venture with Caterpillar manufacturing CX28 & CX31 Transmission, and Joint venture with Eaton

Electric Propulsion: “the New King” of Modern Fishing Vessel Equipment (II)

2. Beneficial Key Equipment Technology Makes a Breakthrough

The core technology for electric propulsion ships starts late in our country, to limit the application of the electric propulsion system of fishing vessels. According to the introduction, variable frequency control technology is the key of electric propulsion technology. For a long time, only a few countries in the world master the core technology, such as the United States, Switzerland, Germany and France.

In recent years, some domestic Marine scientific research institutions have intensified the science and technology research, and have made a major breakthrough in the domestic electric propulsion system and the core technology. For example, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation 712 Institution has had the design and building abilities of the electric propulsion system for the medium voltage & large capacitance ships, and obtains the orders of electric propulsion fishing vessels. As the integrator of electric propulsion system for fishing vessels, in this project of 66m electric propulsion fishing vessels with Light-purse Seine, they are responsible for the design and production services, including marine electric propulsion system integration, equipment supplying, debugging, training, maintenance after delivery; independently developed the core equipment such as transformer, frequency converter, propulsion motor and realized the domestic electric propulsion system key equipment applied on the fishing vessel for the first time.

Zhou Yan, the vice general manager of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation 711 Institution Dynamic Loading Dept., analysis that due to significant noise and vibration reduction, electric propulsion technology firstly applied in high-performance special ships. With the increasing development of ship electric propulsion technology, the market demand will continue to be increased in the future. The 711 Institution has participated in the design of electric propulsion for the South China Sea maritime research vessel. Now, they actively promote electric propulsion technology applied on the fishing vessels and other fields.

The relevant responsible person of Chinese Fishing Vessel & Fishing Mechanical & Fishing Gear Association said that like LNG power vessels, electric propulsion fishing vessel is still in the exploration stage, and its application has just started. As a result, it is also needed to further study the safety, reliability and fuel-efficient performance of the electric propulsion fishing vessels, to strengthen the sailing trial, fishing test and acceptance standard, promote the development direction of traditional fishing vessels industry towards the energy saving and emission reduction.

3. Development Is Subject to Multiple Factors

In the about the guidance of promoting fishery energy saving and emission reduction, the ministry of agriculture clearly put forward the demonstrated promotion of electric propulsion, diesel and gas mixed combustion devices to strengthen the effect of energy saving and emissions reduction of fishing vessels. At present, a batch of electric propulsion fishing vessel development projects have been the key points of the national independent innovation research projects of fishing equipment, and got the support from the fishing competent department. More and more domestic research institutes and enterprises begin to put the electric propulsion technology applied in the fishing vessels field. The relevant responsible person from a well-known fishing boat building company in north China thinks that electric propulsion technology can meet the power requirements from all kinds of fishing vessels, and can also be used for deep sea fishing vessels; with the characteristics of wide application scope, its market development prospect is broad.

From the aspects of energy saving and emissions reduction, electric propulsion fishing vessels should undoubtedly be the “popular star” of the market, but the professional personnel also concern the restricting factors of its development. For example, Liu Chenggang, vice director of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation 701 Institution fishing equipment engineering technology center, said that in a short period of time, he is not optimistic about the application of fishing vessel electric propulsion technology.

High cost is the primary factor to restrict the development of electric propulsion fishing vessel. It is understood that, although the domestic equipment could be able to replace imported products, the construction cost of electric propulsion fishing vessels is still more than 30% higher than general fishing vessels. The realization of the electric propulsion fishing vessels mass production mainly depends on the owner’s attitude. If the investment budget is not enough, the maintenance and operating costs for the fishing vessel is expected to be reduced, the owners will not consider using electric propulsion technology.

Fishing vessels related enterprises are generally believed that fishing subsidies would make the owner have doubts about the investment of electric propulsion fishing vessels. Fishing boats upgrading subsidy policy uses the hull and main engine (diesel engine) power size as subsidies standards; at the same time, fishing vessels diesel subsidies is also measured according to the main engine registered power. In this case, the fishing vessels used the electric propulsion system might get fewer subsidies. Fishing industry insiders suggest the electric propulsion fishing vessels can take power conversion method to get subsidies, increase the production subsidies to promote the fishing vessels to develop towards the direction of environmental protection, and promote the update for the fishing industry technology.