Damen Marine Components (DMC) will supply the rudders and steering gear for SunStone Ships’ fifth Infinity-class polar expedition cruise ship, the company announced today.

The 200-passenger vessel will be built by China Merchants Heavy Industries.

DMC will supply two Van der Velden Atlantic rudders and two Van der Velden Commander rotary vane steering gear systems. The Atlantic is a full-spade rudder with a surface area of eight square metres and steering gear torque of 110 knots.

According to DMV, it delivers excellent course-keeping, particularly on long-distance, straight line voyages. The Commander steering gear is likewise described as a dependable choice for long-distance, open ocean vessels. It has a compact design with just one moving part and a second-generation actuator for smooth rudder movements. Mounted inside closed housings, DMC’s sealing technology prevents internal leakage and ensures extended seal life. The result is trouble-free operation for more than 60,000 hours between inspections.

The DMC components are an integral part of the system supply, consisting of gearboxes and propellers, rudders, steering gear, a tunnel thruster and control systems. The propulsion is a twin-screw, diesel-electric configuration.

Sunstone Ships specialises in the commercial management of passenger ships and is responsible for the buying, selling and chartering of its managed fleet. In line with its focus on the small ship and expedition cruise segment the Infinity class is 104 metres long, has a beam of 18 metres wide and a draught of 5.3 metres. They can accommodate up to 200 passengers and 115 crew members, and are built to Ice Class 1A, Polar Code 6 and Safe Return to Port specifications.