Manoeuvring thrusters

[WorldTraveler151208]

Now every cruise ship has bow thrusters and in most cases azimuth 360 degrees propellers, which allow easy maneuvering in ports without the help of tugs. Which cruise ship was the first one with side thrusters? I can't find any infirmation on this topic.  I assume that it must have been in the 70s or 80s because the ships built in that time are already equipped with this solution, but I would like to know more.

Edited August 11, 2020 by WorldTraveler151208

[chengkp75]

I can't say when cruise ships started to use thrusters, but they came into common service on ships in the 60's.

 

As for azipods, a twin screw, twin high lift "Becker" rudder ships with bow and stern thrusters is no less maneuverable than a ship equipped with azipods.  Azipods provide about a 10% increase in efficiency underway, and have a much smaller capital expense than the conventional propeller plant, which is the major reason for their use on cruise ships.

[PelicanBill]

I am reading a book called "Red Star Rogue" which talks about the creation of a ship in the late 60s with bow and stern thrusters to meet the need to do station keeping while doing deep wreckage recovery. They needed to drop a long tube and claw to the sea bottom nearly 3 miles below.

[chengkp75]

31 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

I am reading a book called "Red Star Rogue" which talks about the creation of a ship in the late 60s with bow and stern thrusters to meet the need to do station keeping while doing deep wreckage recovery. They needed to drop a long tube and claw to the sea bottom nearly 3 miles below.

That would be the Glomar Explorer, and dynamic positioning was the coming thing in offshore oil exploration.

[farmersfight]

4 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

That would be the Glomar Explorer, and dynamic positioning was the coming thing in offshore oil exploration.

 

I worked on a U.S. flag pipe laying ship (M/V Apache) in the Gulf of Mexico. Just prior to this time, she worked mainly overseas (off of Scotland as I remember), so she wasn't required to be crewed with predominately U.S. citizens (except for the master which still had to be a U.S. citizen).

 

The company (Santa Fe) got a contract to lay pipe between platforms in the Gulf of Mexico for Exxon. Since this was U.S. waters, they had to hire predominately U.S. citizens for their marine crew. That's how I got the job.

 

Anyway, the ship had dynamic positioning controlled by computer using bow and stern thrusters. The ship had a special crew of technicians (from Scotland) on board to operate, oversee and maintain this system. As you can imagine, for the pipe laying it was critical to maintain exact position(s).

[WorldTraveler151208]

8 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

I can't say when cruise ships started to use thrusters, but they came into common service on ships in the 60's.

After further research, it turned out that they probably started using bow thrusters even earlier. MS Astoria, which belonged to CMV Cruises that sadly went bankrupt a few weeks ago, is considered to be the oldest operating cruise ship (built in 1948). On this photo you can see the mark on the hull that would indicate that the vessel is equiped with one bow thruster.
 

[chengkp75]

4 minutes ago, WorldTraveler151208 said:

After further research, it turned out that they probably started using bow thrusters even earlier. MS Astoria, which belonged to CMV Cruises that sadly went bankrupt a few weeks ago, is considered to be the oldest operating cruise ship (built in 1948). On this photo you can see the mark on the hull that would indicate that the vessel is equiped with one bow thruster.
 

 

I can't say for sure, but my guess is that this was a retrofit thruster, common in the 60's and 70's, as thrusters started to take off.  I don't believe thrusters were in use in the 40's and 50's.

[chengkp75]

19 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

I worked on a U.S. flag pipe laying ship (M/V Apache) in the Gulf of Mexico. Just prior to this time, she worked mainly overseas (off of Scotland as I remember), so she wasn't required to be crewed with predominately U.S. citizens (except for the master which still had to be a U.S. citizen).

 

The company (Santa Fe) got a contract to lay pipe between platforms in the Gulf of Mexico for Exxon. Since this was U.S. waters, they had to hire predominately U.S. citizens for their marine crew. That's how I got the job.

 

Anyway, the ship had dynamic positioning controlled by computer using bow and stern thrusters. The ship had a special crew of technicians (from Scotland) on board to operate, oversee and maintain this system. As you can imagine, for the pipe laying it was critical to maintain exact position(s).

Spent 12 years in offshore oil in the 70's and 80's.  Almost all of it on dynamically stationed drillships and semi-submersible rigs.  Did all kinds of work from drilling for oil, pipeline backfill, deep sea mining (the cover story for the Glomar Explorer).

[SeaShark]

11 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

I can't say for sure, but my guess is that this was a retrofit thruster, common in the 60's and 70's, as thrusters started to take off.  I don't believe thrusters were in use in the 40's and 50's.

 

As usual, it appears that you are correct in assuming that this is a retrofit thruster. Given that the Patent was initially applied for in 1966, the dates you mention line up.

[farmersfight]

4 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Spent 12 years in offshore oil in the 70's and 80's.  Almost all of it on dynamically stationed drillships and semi-submersible rigs.  Did all kinds of work from drilling for oil, pipeline backfill, deep sea mining (the cover story for the Glomar Explorer).

 

Wow, that is great experience! I assume this was in the "oil patch" (Gulf of Mexico)? and/or other areas?

[chengkp75]

54 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

Wow, that is great experience! I assume this was in the "oil patch" (Gulf of Mexico)? and/or other areas?

No, all around the world.  Suriname, Guyana, Honduras, Australia, Egypt, South Africa, Ireland, North Sea, South Pacific, Brazil.

[farmersfight]

9 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

No, all around the world.  Suriname, Guyana, Honduras, Australia, Egypt, South Africa, Ireland, North Sea, South Pacific, Brazil.

 

Thanks. Very interesting. One more Q: I see that you have the USMMA seal as your avatar. I assume that means you are a Kings Pointer? If yes, what year did you graduate? (o.k., that was 2 Q's, lol).

[chengkp75]

6 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

Thanks. Very interesting. One more Q: I see that you have the USMMA seal as your avatar. I assume that means you are a Kings Pointer? If yes, what year did you graduate? (o.k., that was 2 Q's, lol).

Yes, and the answer to question #2 is in the avatar as well.

[farmersfight]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

Yes, and the answer to question #2 is in the avatar as well.

 

Got it, thanks (didn't notice it before). chengkp75. I'm a 1982 grad of Texas Maritime. Appreciate your words of wisdom and experience regarding the maritime/cruise industry here on CC.