How to navigate the hidden costs of a permanent magnet shaft generator

Shipowners and shipbuilders – are you looking for a permanent magnet shaft generator (PMSG) for your next ship?

Permanent magnet synchronous machine technology is driving the global maritime industry’s decarbonization shift. As a result, today’s market is flooded with budget manufacturers offering lower prices for this big-ticket item.

Buying costly items at lower prices is tempting. But when it comes to marine equipment, the purchase price is only part of the equation.

A marine vessel generates revenue only while it moves cargo. Marine equipment failures mean not only lost income but also the very heavy costs of emergency drydocking, repairs and being off-hire. Together, these far exceed any initial savings on purchase price.

Avoid exponential unplanned costs

Failure of a primary propulsion component leads to immediate loss of operational classification, resulting in off-hire status. Daily spot rates for ultra-large container vessels can reach up to USD 60,000 and as much as USD 300,000 for LNG carriers. As a result, a typical two-week repair period can mean over USD 800,000 in lost revenue for a container ship and more than USD 4,000,000 for an LNG carrier. And these numbers don’t include the high costs of emergency dry-docking.

Unplanned costs compound exponentially. Just one week of downtime can exceed the price of the equipment itself.            

Excellence by design

Budget manufacturers achieve low prices by using standardized industrial techniques, lower-grade insulation and reduced safety margins. These shortcuts raise operational and financial risks.

Let’s look at how The Switch never cuts corners – and how these permanent magnet shaft generator design choices help protect your vessel’s uptime and profitability.

• ROBUST INSULATION designed to withstand the voltage stresses that can occur during operation, helping prevent premature insulation failure.
• THERMAL MANAGEMENT ensuring operations are well below thermal limits to extend the life of critical components.
• MAGNET RETENTION using steel modules bolted directly to the rotor rather than industrial adhesives, helping prevent magnets from loosening due to vibration.
• SHORT-CIRCUIT PROTECTION helps prevent permanent magnet damage and costly failures.
• THOROUGH TESTING including full-power testing and advanced engineering analysis at dedicated, state-of-the-art facilities before installation.
• SAFETY MARGINS that cover all possible scenarios at sea.

Keep moving with our unmatched track record

Our PMSGs are engineered specifically for marine reliability, and our track record proves their success with:

• More than 400 PMSGs delivered
• 7 million operating hours accumulated in harsh marine environments
• ZERO failures leading to dry docking or machine replacement

The true total cost of ownership

Total repair costs and lost revenue from a single major failure can be many times higher than the initial price difference between a budget PMSG and the PMSG of a premium manufacturer.

In an industry where a single week of downtime can cost more than the equipment itself, reliability isn’t a luxury – it’s a vital financial safeguard that keeps vessels moving and profitable.

For a thorough discussion of the operational and financial risks of budget PMSGs, read our full Talking Point.

Meet me at SMM 2026 to discuss more about permanent magnet shaft generators (PMSG) for your next ship!