Wärtsilä, MAN Diesel Hercules-Beta Project
The Hercules-Beta research project proposal was recently approved by the European Commission. HERCULES-Beta represents a major international cooperative effort to maximise fuel efficiency combined with ultra-low emissions and to develop future generations of optimally efficient and clean marine diesel engines. As such, HERCULES-Beta aims to surpass the current limits set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to radically improve the environmental performance of waterborne transport. HERCULES-Beta began on 1 September 2008 with a budget of $33.6m and it is planned to run for 36 months. The project consortium has 32 participants, including engine-component suppliers, equipment manufacturers, universities, research institutions and shipping companies from 10 European countries.
Wärtsilä and MAN Diesel Propose Cooperative Research Project
MAN Diesel and Wärtsilä Corporation have agreed to propose a large scale Cooperative Research Project - Hercules-B. The target is to maximize fuel efficiency in parallel to emissions reduction. The principal aim in Hercules-B is to improve efficiency of marine diesel propulsion systems to level of more than 60%, hence to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions substantially. An additional concurrent aim is towards ultra low exhaust emissions from marine engines by the year 2015. Today diesel propulsion systems power 99% of the world fleet. The Hercules-B is a large innovative research and development project aiming for technological breakthrough in the reduction of fuel consumption and emissions for the next generation marine diesel engines onboard ships…
