T-AKE Lewis and Clark Class Auxiliary Dry Cargo / Ammunitions Ship sea trials (March 2007)

Electric propulsion systems are more and more frequently chosen in the marine business to meet environmental requirements, flexibility during maneuvering operations and reliability. Resulting from many years of experiences in this field Converteam (Formally Alstom Power Conversion) have developed specific power and control architectures for the marine requirements. The US Navy USNS Lewis and Clark built by General Dynamics NASSCO (San Diego, CA) was delivered on June 20^th. This ship presents a particularity in that it is propelled by a tandem motor supplied by four independent drives. Sophisticated control and regulation systems are required to manage an isolated power network and the propulsion drive. Fine-tunings during dock trials and sea trial ensure the optimum performances. Sea trial test procedures are designed to prove the operation of the power network and the propulsion drive in the worst possible conditions.