Tunnel Talk – The Mighty (ish) Bow Thruster

A bow thruster is a transversal propulsion device installed in the forward (bow) section of a ship, allowing it to move laterally (sideways) without forward motion. It is especially valuable for low-speed manoeuvres such as:

berthing

unberthing

or holding position in dynamic positioning (DP) systems.

While it greatly aids ship handling, it comes with several limitations.

The bow thruster was first developed in the mid-20th century to improve low-speed maneuverability in increasingly larger ships. Early versions appeared in the 1950s and 1960s, particularly on Scandinavian ferries, using simple mechanically driven side propellers. By the 1970s, tunnel-type bow thrusters became standard on tankers, ferries, and cruise ships,  powered by diesel or electric motors.

Barry discusses the humble bow thruster – how it is measured, some of the limitations and gives real world accounts of when the thruster may let you down.