Promeco implemented a new control solution with ABB technology

In early 2022, Promeco signed a contract with RMC, a shipbuilding company located in Rauma, for the manufacturing of main switchboard solutions for two TT-Lines vessels. The delivery for one ship is now complete, and the other will be finished within this year.

Promeco implemented the electrical distribution for TT-Lines ships as an intelligent solution through a bus system. The TT-Lines ship is the first in the world where this implementation has been approved. According to Promeco’s sales manager Juha Liipo, this was backed by a lengthy testing and approval process.

– So far, the shipbuilding industry has used quite traditional technology, so there was no existing model to compare with. We conducted a thorough investigation into how the implementation could work in practice. The approval process took time, but now that it’s done, manufacturing the product and any possible modifications is easy to execute.

Advantage of Tripartite Collaboration

The idea of using the bus solution emerged during a training session on ABB’s new solution models. ABB is Promeco’s long-term partner and Promeco started planning the implementation together with them.

– ABB’s goal is to take digitalization in shipbuilding to a new level, so-called ‘shipbuilding 4.0’. Promeco’s solution fits very well into this chosen strategy, says Pekka Heinonen, ABB’s product marketing manager.

RMC has also been involved in the design work from the beginning. The tripartite collaboration has been a significant advantage for Promeco.

– We have a partnership with ABB, which means mutual assistance. We got to test the product in ABB’s laboratory in Italy, which was invaluable for the product’s approval. The fact that we were able to verify that the product works as we thought was an important step for us.

According to Pekka Heinonen, the dedication and contribution of every participant in the project has been crucial.

– The partnership with Promeco has gone excellently from the first idea to implementation. It was important that RMC embarked on new paths and was involved in the system design phase. This way, we were able to get the control logic to match systems made in traditional ways, making it possible to get approval from the ship classification society. The classification society’s approval allows the system to be replicated in other projects globally.

Laboratory Testing Ensures Safety

In the shipbuilding industry, safety is extremely important, which is why the new electrical distribution solution was tested extensively and thoroughly at Promeco. Safety has been ensured, among other things, by using multiple technologies to ensure that the solution works even in the worst-case scenario where engines fail.

ABB Sace’s technical support and a unique laboratory in Europe, where various bus solutions can be tested in practice before installation, guaranteed the tested end result.

– It is a so-called redundant system, which we have tested several times both in laboratory conditions and at the factory. Overall, the project has required over a year of work from our project team,” says Juha Liipo.

The implementation is a step towards the future of intelligent and clean solutions. With this solution, ships can save fuel, and energy savings can be verified. Additionally, the advantage is its modifiability. Whereas changes had to be made physically in the past, now they can be done programmatically.

– Sustainability and ecology are important values to us, and this solution is a logical transition towards cleaner maritime traffic,” Liipo summarizes.”

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