Birdon America selects Schottel solutions for WCC program

Spay, Germany-headquartered propulsion specialist Schottel has been chosen by Birdon America to supply key components for the up to 27 U.S. Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutters (WCC) for which it is prime contractor. The two Birdon-designed variants of the cutters will be built at its recently acquired Bayou La Batre shipyard. It is expected to construct sixteen River Buoy Tenders (WLR) and eleven Inland Construction Tenders (WLIC). Up to four cutters are expected to be delivered annually over the course of the next eight years, gradually replacing aging vessels.

The current inland tender fleet has an average age of more than 57 years and is approaching obsolescence. The new Birdon America vessels will feature improved habitability and will accommodate mixed-gender crews. The first of the new WCCs is planned to be operational by 2027.

Two Schottel RudderPropellers type SRP 210, with an input power of 597 kW (800 horsepower) apiece and a propeller diameter of 1.3 meters will propel each new WCC

The thrusters will be fitted with Schottel’s highly efficient SDC40 nozzle, which combines compact design and high propulsion efficiency. Hydrodynamically optimized protective grids on the nozzles will increase the safety of the propellers in case of encounters with debris. Schottel DuroVario-S slipping clutches will allow for smooth startups and overall improved handling of the thrusters for precise maneuvering and will reduce environmental impact during berthing operations.

Enabling the WCCs to operate in both deep and shallow waters, the SRPs will allow the vessel to achieve a free-running speed of 11 knots or more.

The propulsion system of the WCCs will be equipped with Schottel LeaCon, a DNV-certified sealing system designed to offer safe and reliable protection against the contamination of river and seawater by operating materials and vice versa. LeaCon works with an intermediate chamber design and multiple seals on the propeller shaft and steering stem that separate lubricants from water. The system is equipped with a monitoring and alarm unit that continuously checks the condition of the seals. LeaCon is considered a non-oil to water interface, this means that the thrusters can be operated without EALs and fulfill the current VGP regulations. Schottel’s scope of supply is completed by its Marihub condition monitoring systemm which enables condition-based maintenance via an onboard display.

Schottel’s U.S. subsidiary, Schottel Inc., was founded in 1997, following more than six decades of sales and after-service market activity in the U.S, including the establishment of the first U.S. subsidiary under a different name in 1961. Since October 2013, Schottel Inc. has been headquartered in Houma, La., whereits 9,700 square-meter site provides ample space for offices, a spare parts warehouse, and a sales and training center to ensure customer proximity in sales and after-sales services.

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