Category: Blogs

The M/S Nukumi, a diesel-electric bulk ship operating in the Gulf of St. Laurence and Great Lakes region since early 2022, was designed with many innovations to enhance safety, efficiency and performance while reducing the vessel’s overall environmental footprint. Making the ship’s onboard production and consumption of power extremely efficient was one essential design goal.…

When you buy highly technical products, you’re looking first for product performance and durability and then at considerations like cost, delivery times and location. But you know this isn’t all that’s needed for the ultimate success of your highly customized, time-consuming and expensive projects. Beyond the technical Other less-quantifiable factors count heavily toward a project’s…

Decarbonizing shipping is one of the greatest challenges facing the maritime industry today. While much of the debate has focused on alternative fuels, the truth is that the future fleet will also require far more efficient and flexible energy systems. This is precisely the focus of STEESMAT – a consortium of 13 European partners, including The Switch.  

Commissioning is the final handover of The Switch PM shaft generator to the system integrator at the shipyard. Multiple stakeholders and many participants are involved in these projects. Typically, they include: Although we at The Switch contribute only one component, how we do our part affects many others. Our focus from the beginning is to…

Europe often takes the spotlight for advancements in maritime industry electrification. Countries like Norway and Finland are already operating over a hundred electric vessels, driving the global shift toward sustainable shipping. Japan, on the other hand, has been comparatively quiet – with just around 10 electric vessels currently in operation. But behind the scenes, Japan…

The cooling system for a vessel’s electrical machines and drives is of paramount importance. Inadequately handled thermal stresses can cause an electrical system to age prematurely or even fail. A successful cooling system design must completely address all potential issues. Air-cooled systems are the cheapest and easiest to maintain. However, liquid-cooled systems come with so many…

When we talk about building more resilient ships, the conversation usually revolves around fuel flexibility, smart energy management and robust control systems. But another layer of resilience at the very core of onboard power conversion often gets overlooked — effective thermal design. Modern vessels — whether hybrid, fully electric or simply optimized for greater efficiency…

When it comes to marine electrification, permanent magnet (PM) machines are quickly becoming the preferred choice for shipowners aiming for sustainability and cost savings. But as with any new technology, questions arise. We’ve compiled the 20 most frequently asked questions about The Switch PM machines. If you want to understand the technology better, this guide…

Did you know that about 90% of global trade is transported by marine shipping? And shipping is statistically “the least environmentally damaging mode of transport when its productive value is taken into consideration,” according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). But even the least environmentally damaging mode of transport can be made more sustainable. Marine…