FWN ANTARCTIC
Vessel name
FWN ANTARCTIC
Installation date
November-2024
Vessel type
General Cargo Ship
Application
Box coolers
FWN ANTARCTIC is a 140-meter general cargo ship built in 2025 and equipped with eight box coolers: seven located aft for the two auxiliary engines and the main engine HT/LT systems, and one located forward for the AC system. All eight box coolers are fitted with Shipsonic ultrasonic anti-fouling transducers.
The vessel has a breadth of 18 meters, depth of 10.25 meters, and draught of 7.60 / 6.00 meters. The vessel has a deadweight of 12,500 / 6,000 tons, a hold capacity of 538,000 cu ft, and is equipped with two 85-ton cranes. The main engine is a Wärtsilä 6L32DF.
The cooling system comprises two auxiliary coolers, four main engine coolers (ME HT1, ME LT1, ME HT2, and ME LT2) and two box coolers, designated Box Cooler ORC and Box Cooler AC. The auxiliary and main engine coolers are each fitted with 4 x 80W transducers. The Box Cooler ORC is fitted with 6 x 80W transducers, while the Box Cooler AC is fitted with 4 x 80W transducers.
In total, the eight coolers are equipped with 34 Shipsonic transducers, comprising 28 × 80W and 6 × 100W units. The NRF-manufactured coolers were supplied with the transducer flanges welded at the factory, while the flanges for the Kelvion ORC cooler were welded by the shipyard.
The installation consists of three Shipsonic control units: 1x MDP20-20 and 1x MDP10-8 installed in the aft engine room, and 1 x MDP10-4 installed forward under the forecastle for the AC cooler. The shipyard electricians installed the control units and routed the power, contact closure alarm, and transducer connection cables.
Shipsonic carried out the transducer installation and commissioning work in November 2024, prior to the vessel's launching. During commissioning, the aft control units were powered up and Sound Pressure Level (SPL) values were tested and recorded for 28 transducers. One transducer was replaced with a spare unit during testing. Transducers 3.1 and 6.1 required replacement during a subsequent visit. The forward AC cooler control unit also required follow-up work to complete the testing and commissioning of the full installation.
The completed installation provides ultrasonic anti-fouling protection for all eight box coolers, covering the vessel's main engine, auxiliary engine, and AC cooling systems.
Comments