GE Transportation delivered a GE 16-cylinder 7FDM diesel engine for installation aboard the Cap. Berny B tuna clipper. The vessel, owned by Berni Buehs and Sons, Manta, Ecuador, is being repowered from a dual-engine propulsion system to a single GE medium-speed diesel engine.
“This is a milestone project because it marks the initial application of a GE diesel engine for a tuna boat,” said John Manison, manager of GE Transportation’s marine and stationary power business.
The 16-cylinder engine provides 4,100 hp and features an Electronic Fuel Injection system, driven by GE’s Powerstar Controller.
Cap. Berny B is a 1,200-ton, 210-feet long vessel that was built in Spain by Luzuriaga in 1981. Repowering of the Capt. Berny B will begin in July 2005, and the vessel will operate out of Manta.
The GE 7FDM engine models are available in 8, 12 and 16 cylinder configurations, for power ranges from 1,403 bhp/1,004 kW to 4,500 bhp/3,355 kW. These four-stroke, turbo-charged and after-cooled medium-speed diesels are designed for the most demanding applications.