VEEM EXTREME delivers an 18.1% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions, certified by Lloyd’s Register, together with additional benefits including increased range, powertrain downsizing and extended range in full electric mode, enabling vessels to access marine protected areas.
Rather than treating individual propulsion components as separate elements, VEEM EXTREME has been developed as a complete, fully integrated and custom-engineered package comprising:
- propeller;
- shaft;
- struts;
- rudder.
Each component is designed to work together as part of a single optimized shaft-line propulsion system, rather than as a standalone component.
Testing conducted on VEEM’s trial vessel and independently verified by Lloyd’s Register recorded an 18.1% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions compared with a traditional system fitted with a Class 1 propeller.
The system also achieved an 8.5% increase in maximum speed, demonstrating how an optimized propulsion architecture can combine efficiency improvements with enhanced vessel performance.
Multiple innovations working together
The performance of VEEM EXTREME is the result of several advanced design features working together. Rather than relying on a single technological improvement, the system integrates innovations across the entire propulsion line.
These include a new V- or P-shaped strut, developed as part of the system’s hydrodynamic optimisation, together with a flow-aligned rudder designed to minimise hydrodynamic losses.
Another key element is VEEM’s patented shaft/propeller coupling, which reduces shaft stress by 20%. By optimising the connection between shaft and propeller, the system contributes to the overall performance and reliability of the propulsion package.
At the centre of the system is the new EXTREME propeller, featuring an exceptionally fine NACA blade section manufactured from a proprietary ultra-high-strength stainless-steel alloy.
The system is completed by VEEM’s exclusive INTERCEPTOR technology. This solution enables rapid pitch adjustment, allowing the propeller to operate efficiently across varying operating conditions.
Optimizing the complete powertrain
The fundamental concept behind VEEM EXTREME is that propulsion efficiency cannot be considered by looking at the propeller alone.
The propeller, shaft, struts and rudder interact continuously with the vessel and with each other. Optimising these components as a complete system makes it possible to reduce hydrodynamic losses and improve the way power is transferred through the propulsion line.
This integrated approach is particularly relevant for modern vessels, where reducing fuel consumption and emissions is becoming increasingly important without compromising speed, range or onboard performance.
The combination of lower fuel consumption, reduced carbon emissions and increased maximum speed demonstrates the potential of a fully engineered marine propulsion system compared with a conventional shaft-line configuration.
Efficiency and range
The 18.1% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions represents one of the main advantages of VEEM EXTREME.
Greater propulsion efficiency can also translate directly into increased operating range. For vessels with demanding cruising profiles, this can reduce the amount of fuel required for a given mission or allow them to travel further without increasing fuel capacity.
The system can also support powertrain downsizing, potentially creating opportunities to optimise the overall propulsion architecture.
Another important benefit is the extension of range when operating in full electric mode. This can be particularly valuable for vessels seeking access to marine protected areas, where operating requirements may favour lower-emission or fully electric navigation.
From individual components to an integrated solution
VEEM EXTREME represents a different approach to shaft-line propulsion. Instead of selecting a propeller, shaft, struts and rudder independently, the system brings these elements together as a single engineered solution.
This makes it possible to optimise the interaction between the individual components and address propulsion efficiency at system level.
The result is a propulsion package designed around measurable performance improvements, with testing and verification providing quantitative evidence of its potential.
For yacht builders and vessel designers, the approach offers an alternative way of looking at conventional shaft-line propulsion: not as a mature technology with limited room for improvement, but as a system that can still benefit from advanced hydrodynamics, materials, coupling technology and real-time optimisation.
A new approach to shaft-line propulsion
Shaft-line propulsion may have a long history, but VEEM EXTREME demonstrates that there is still significant potential for innovation.
By combining a new propeller design, optimized struts, a flow-aligned rudder, a patented shaft/propeller coupling and the INTERCEPTOR pitch-adjustment system, VEEM has developed a complete propulsion package focused on efficiency and performance.
The results reported by VEEM and verified by Lloyd’s Register — 18.1% lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions and an 8.5% increase in maximum speed — highlight the potential of an integrated approach to marine propulsion.
For modern yachts and other vessels where efficiency, range, performance and emissions are increasingly important, VEEM EXTREME offers a new perspective on the future evolution of shaft-line propulsion.
