ABB to supply complete power system for Spanish Navy vessel

ABB has won an order from Spanish state-owned shipbuilding company, Navantia, to supply a complete DC-based power and distribution system for a new submarine rescue vessel, Poseidon, due for delivery in 2026.

The ship will be deployed in support of submarine missions, including diving operations, intervention and rescue in accidents and shipwrecks, and underwater surveillance, including the protection of cultural heritage.

The supply package will include an ABB Onboard DC Grid™, transformers, alternators, a battery system, and the ABB PEMS^™ – a power and energy management system. As a result, Poseidon will be capable of meeting the Spanish Navy’s demanding requirements for dynamic positioning, position-keeping, system reliability, and redundancy.

The Onboard DC Grid™ will deliver the high efficiency and platform flexibility to support the vessel’s varied and challenging operations, ABB said, with the battery system covering peak power demands during rescue missions. Meanwhile, the power and energy management system will ensure that the ship’s total power resources are used as safely and efficiently as possible.

The DC-based power and distribution system is built on widely proven commercial technology, which ensures high levels of fault tolerance and redundancy and maximises vessel uptime. The Spanish Navy will have full access to ABB’s global service network, which includes a presence in Spain, throughout the lifecycle of the vessel. Furthermore, as environmental regulations continue to tighten in the future, the Spanish Navy stands to benefit from the ability of the Onboard DC Grid™ to incorporate future sources of energy.

Sindre Satre, business line manager, Coast Guard and Navy at ABB Marine & Ports, commented: “The extremely demanding nature of submarine rescue missions calls for the highest standards in safety, fault tolerance, and system integrity from the onboard power and distribution system. This order is the latest testament to the operational, service, financial, and risk mitigation benefits that come with choosing a commercial, off-the-shelf solution like Onboard DC Grid™ from a reliable technology partner such as ABB. We are proud to have been selected for this project and to continue our collaboration with Navantia and the Spanish Navy.”

ABB is making significant inroads into the naval sector. The company is supplying the Onboard DC Grid™ for four F126 frigates for the German Navy, and four anti-submarine warfare frigates for the Dutch and Belgian Navies. It is also providing the system platform and Azipod^® propulsion technology for two Finnish Border Guard patrol vessels.