A nascent market for all-electric feeders could kickstart thrusters-as-a-service, a familiar model which would see shipowners paying an opex fee for modular azimuth pods which could then be switched at the shipyard, similarly to aircraft engines, OEMs have said.

Wärtsilä has entered a five-year Lifecycle Agreement to enhance the performance of 37 Royal Caribbean cruise ships, optimising engine performance, improving reliability, and ensuring sustainability by reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

Shaft generators are being installed on a huge number of newbuild vessels, as one of the easiest ways to offset the inefficiency of auxiliary gensets. But speaking with Ship Repair Newsletter last week, The Switch admitted that retrofits are a tiny fraction of its market share – but, they are possible, and, it is implied, the market could grow in due course.

A joint project between Caterpillar and Helm Connect is set to provide better information on engine efficiency. The move is set to optimise operations specifically for the workboat sector, where Caterpillar engines and generators are particularly well-represented.