PDL's German Office, PDL Elektronik Vertrieb, recently commissioned a Microdrive-i UDi-1140 motor controller on an offshore-oilrig supply ship in Aberdeen, Scotland, called the 'MV Viking Provider'. The ship is a multi-functional support vessel and is basically a prototype designed to sit between three oilrigs in the North Seas and wait for an emergency, e.g. a fire.
The PDL UDi-1140 controls the 700kW Bow Thruster on board via a 440V AC supply input. To test the control electronics once commissioned, the MV Viking Provider sailed out from Aberdeen and once out to sea cut the main engines and sailed under power of the Azimuth Bow Thruster down the coast for about 8 hours, before docking in Montrose.
Everything is state of the art on the ship. It can take on up to 400 people below deck if an evacuation is necessary and there are hospital facilities as well as fire fighting facilities. The ship (including crew) will be contracted out by Viking on standby to oil companies.
Three more UDi-1140's are due to be commissioned on three more identical vessels later this year. PDL Elektronik Vertieb have sold well over 100 PDL motor controllers on ship applications over the past 18 months.
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