FLEET CLEANER Delft specializes in cleaning seafaring vessels in ports such as Rotterdam, focusing on efficiency during the loading and unloading processes. DROMEC Winches has supplied a winch system for the work vessel Thunderbird 4 of FLEET CLEANER, enabling environmentally friendly cleaning of ship hulls.
Umbilical System
Onboard FLEET CLEANER’s work vessel, a crane with a remote-operated robot, known as the ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle), is positioned. This robot is controlled remotely and connected via an umbilical cable to the system provided by DROMEC. Within this umbilical bundle, hydraulic, electrical, and data cables are integrated, along with a wastewater hose, allowing for eco-friendly water discharge. The winch is suitable for ATEX environments, enabling FLEET CLEANER to clean oil and chemical tankers as well.
Mechanical Coupling
DROMEC Winches’ winch system can spool up to 180 meters of umbilical cable. The fully electrically powered system boasts a pulling capacity of 2.5 tons and a holding force of 4.5 tons. The cable can be reeled in at a speed of 30 meters per minute. DROMEC Winches has specially developed a mechanical coupling on the cable guide, which is detachable, allowing FLEET CLEANER to manually adjust the cable. This feature proves particularly useful for the umbilical cable, which may not always maintain a consistent shape.
ATEX Certification
Jan Willem, engineer, explains,
“While this winch system has the size of a container, it is very straightforward to operate with just two buttons on the control panel for speed and winding. All components are ATEX-certified, except for the control unit located below deck. An interesting development is that DROMEC Winches now also develops winches with full ATEX certification, including control units. DROMEC has already developed a wide range of umbilical winch systems, providing us with a diverse selection of models.”
