HYDROMASTER • NETHERLANDS
Exclusive AU / NZ
360° steerable propulsion for tough conditions
Azimuth thrusters, side thrusters, steerable jets and complete propulsion packages from 30 to 900 kW. Engine driven, hybrid or full electric, built in Rotterdam and supplied across Australia and New Zealand by our team.
OVERVIEW
Seventy years of steerable thrusters
Hydromaster designs and builds 360° steerable thrusters for tugs, ferries, floating cranes, offshore vessels, workboats, barges and military craft. Units rotate a full circle, so one thruster both drives and steers the vessel, with a typical service life of more than 20 years.
We are Hydromaster’s exclusive representative in Australia and New Zealand. We specify, supply, integrate and service each unit, on new builds or as a retrofit to an existing vessel.
AT A GLANCE
Manufacturer
Hydromaster Propulsion B.V.
Origin
Rotterdam, NL
Power range
30 – 900 kW
Drives
Diesel · Electric · Hybrid · Hydraulic
Quality
Class certified · ISO 9001
Representation
Exclusive AU / NZ
PRODUCT RANGE
A thruster for every hull and duty
Inboard, outboard, retractable or flush with the hull, each available as a full propulsion package.
Inboard · L or Z drive
Well mounted
azimuth thrusters
Installed in a well inside the hull for main propulsion and steering.
Outboard · Self-contained
Deck mounted
propulsion units
Complete units with their own prime mover, ideal for pontoons, barges and floating plant.
Outboard · L or Z drive
Transom mounted
azimuth thrusters
Fitted to the transom, leaving the hull clear and simplifying retrofits.
Auxiliary · Station-keeping
Retractable thrusters
Deploy when needed for auxiliary propulsion or station-keeping, then retract into the hull.
Manoeuvring
Side and tunnel
thrusters
Transverse thrust for berthing and tight manoeuvres
Manoeuvring
Swing-type
side thrusters
Swings down below the hull to deliver thrust where it is needed.
Up to 30 knots
High-speed thrusters
Optimised for fast ferries and craft operating at 28 to 30 knots.
Flush hull-mounted
Steerable jet
360° thrust from a nozzle flush with the hull, for shallow water and debris.
CONFIGURATION
Built around your power source
Choose the drive layout and prime mover, and we supply the complete package.
L drive
Vertical input shaft, suited to electric and hydraulic motors mounted above the thruster.
Z drive
Horizontal input shaft, connecting directly to a diesel engine in line.
Diesel Engine
Direct engine-driven packages
Full Electric
For battery and zero-emission vessels
Hybrid
Diesel-electric and hybrid systems
Hydraulic
Hydraulic drive and steering
CONTROLS
Precise steering and thrust from the wheelhouse
A modular, processor-controlled system with touch-screen monitoring and alarms, able to interface with your navigation systems.
Azimuth control lever
Rotates a full 360° around its vertical axis for full follow-up steering, with detents at 0°, 90°, 180° and 270° for precise positioning. A propulsion lever handles clutch control, with an 80° throw for propeller speed.
Electronic control unit
Each thruster comes with its own local control unit, giving local backup control, a redundant power supply, monitoring and protection of the thruster machinery, and a separate emergency stop.
Monitoring and control
panel
A drop-in bridge panel showing thrust angle, RPM and thrust force, with clutch, emergency and depth control, machinery protection, and a dimmer and buzzer for clear operator feedback.
APPLICATIONS
Proven across working fleets
Designed by Incat Crowther · San Francisco
WETA 43m
electric catamarans
Two 400-passenger, 25-knot all-electric ferries built by Nichols Brothers, each on four Hydromaster Series E azimuth units.
Electric pusher tug · Netherlands · 2025
Kotug E–Pusher
Fully electric pusher tug on two 300 kW electric outboard azimuth thrusters.
DP2 offshore support vessel · UK · 2025
Forth Constructor
Briggs Marine’s 40m vessel, on two 640 kW main azimuth thrusters and two 315 kW bow thrusters.
Electric workboat · Netherlands · 2025
Volta
A 33m all-electric workboat for Martens & van Oord with over 2 MWh of batteries, on two Hydromaster thrusters.
Electric catamaran ferry · London · 2025
Orbit Clipper
Thames Clippers’ all-electric ferry, built by Wight Shipyard, on two Series 3A azimuth thrusters with 150 kW electric motors.
Fast supply & intervention vessel · Singapore
Zamil 80
A low-draught, all-aluminium, ABS-classed supply vessel built by Lita Ocean for Zamil Offshore, on Hydromaster Series 3 bow thrusters.