Rolls-Royce gets Mermaid order from France

An order for a Mermaid propulsor is among orders reported by Rolls-Royce today for propulsion systems from both the French and South Korean navies

An order worth about $12.5 million from France is for the supply of podded propulsion equipment and stabilizing fins for the latest Mistral class amphibious assault ship.

This latest order follows earlier contracts to supply podded propulsors and stabilizers on the first two ships in the class--Mistral and Tonnerre--which entered service in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The third vessel, to be built by STX Europe, is expected to enter service in 2012.

The Mermaid Pod propulsor being supplied under this contract is described by Rolls-Royce as a "highly optimized propulsor and steering device incorporating two electric motors housed in two steel pods, mounted on the hull of the ship. The pod acts as a rudder to steer the ship and the motor drives a propeller."

Converteam will supply the electric propulsion motors and power converters.

The podded propulsors will be manufactured in the Rolls-Royce facility in Kristinehamn, Sweden and the company's Dunfermline facility in Scotland will produce the stabilisers. Final assembly and tests of the pod propulsors will take place in Converteam's Rotating Machines factory in Nancy, France.

The order for South Korean Navy is worth about $3.3 million and is for the supply of two azimuth thrusters each for four new tugboats that will be built in the Hanook Shipyard, with the first due to enter service in 2011.