In a newbuild, transformers are not bought as standalone items. They are procured against the vessel electrical system, and the specification that matters is the one the yard and the owner have already agreed.
Where transformers sit in the build sequence
The procurement sequence runs predictably: the specification is written against the vessel electrical system, the unit is ordered and manufactured, the yard installs it as the switchboard area is fitted out, and commissioning happens alongside the rest of the electrical systems, before sea trials.
The constraint that catches projects out is lead time rather than technical difficulty. A transformer that arrives after the switchboard area has been closed up is far more expensive to install than one that was ordered on schedule.
Specification items that decide the unit
- Power rating in kVA, with the load schedule behind it.
- Primary and secondary voltage, frequency and phase arrangement.
- Vector group, which fixes the phase relationship between primary and secondary.
- Impedance, set against the fault level at the point of installation.
- Insulation class and the temperature rise permitted at rated load.
- Cooling method, which follows from the space and the ambient temperature.
- Dimensions, weight and termination positions from the shipyard drawing.
- Classification society and any type-approval the vessel is held to.
Most of these are not chosen by the purchaser. They come from the vessel’s electrical documentation, which is why sending that documentation shortens the quotation considerably.
Classification society approval
Where classification review applies, the process is sequential and each step gates the next.
- Design documents submitted to the society for review.
- Type testing where the rules require it for the equipment category.
- Manufacturing inspection by the surveyor during production.
- Unit testing and certification before dispatch.
- Installation inspection on board, before commissioning is signed off.
We support the documentation, inspection and witness testing process for the society named in your specification. We state up front which approvals we hold and which would be obtained for the project, so that the approval route is clear before the order is placed rather than partway through production.
What to send with an enquiry
For a newbuild enquiry, the vessel electrical documentation plus the space available is usually enough to come back with a configuration. See the marine transformer range, or contact us with the drawings.
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