External Hydrodynamic Loads on the Shaft of Azimuthing Thrusters and Podded Propulsors

During the last decades, MARIN has been developing sophisticated measuring systems to capture dynamic loads on the propeller shaft of azimuthing propulsors, in order to support the industry in studying various phenomena and understanding the physics. These measuring systems are designed so carefully that the hydrodynamic loads can be measured reliably and accurately to a high frequency with high resolution. Attention has been paid to various operational conditions, covering ideal sailing ahead, DP & BP, SOLAS, thrusters-thruster interactions, and to those very extreme conditions e.g. during crash stops, propeller blade ventilation and blade-ice interaction.