The thrust direction between 0 and 360º can be controlled within seven seconds.

For the Hastings works, Cetus had to delivery 57,400 tonnes of rock over 40 separate voyages from Calais, delivering 1,400 tonnes at a time as near as possible to shoreside. At flood tide the vessel manoeuvred to near the beach, trying to maintain 1m of free water beneath the keel. Due to the sea state this was not always possible but the free running blades of the Voith propulsion system escaped without damage or delay to the operation. At ebb tide the 3 to 6 tonne stones were transported further up the beach by an excavator and two huge dumper trucks, where they were used to restore the sea defences for a rail line which had deteriorated due to flooding.

The capabilities of the Voith Schneider Propellers have enabled Boskalis to develop a new methodology for rock dumping. Called 'dynamic rock dumping', Dynamic Positioning (DP) equipment on board Cetus allows the vessel to place stones to depths of 90m with only 7% of them missing their exact target. This can be accomplished in tidal flows of up to 3.5m/s.

MJ Information No: 18429