First Mobile MTU Gas Engines for Rederij Doeksen
The two catamarans are currently being built by Strategic Marine’s shipyard in Vietnam for the Dutch shipping company Doeksen. (Photo: Rolls-Royce)
The first two preproduction units of the new mobile MTU gas engine from Rolls-Royce completed performance tests and were accepted by the customer at the beginning of December. In the picture, from left to right: Paul Melles, Managing Director of Rederij Doeksen; Phil Kordic, Sales Manager MTU; and Peter Cottam from shipyard Strategic Marine. (Photo: Rolls-Royce)
Two new aluminum catamarans are to operate ferry services by Doeksen for as many as 66 vehicles and 599 passengers from 2018 between the Dutch mainland and the islands of Terschelling and Vlieland. (Photo: Rolls-Royce)
The first two preproduction units of the new mobile MTU gas engine from Rolls-Royce have completed performance tests and were accepted by the customer at the beginning of December.
MTU delivered the first two of a total of four 16-cylinder Series 4000 gas engines, each with an output of 1,492 kW, for two new catamarans. From 2018, the two aluminum vessels will operate ferry services on the Dutch Wadden Sea. They are currently being built by Strategic Marine’s shipyard in Vietnam for the Dutch shipping company Doeksen.
MTU first presented the new marine propulsion units at the SMM International Maritime Trade Fair in September 2016. The engines have since completed more than 5,000 hours on the test bench.
“All the key engine parameters, such as the extremely dynamic acceleration behavior, have now been verified by MTU,” said Paul Melles, Managing Director of Rederij Doeksen.
In the course of the factory acceptance test, a wide range of performance tests were carried out. Besides the shipping company and the shipyard, Lloyd’s Register of Shipping staff were also impressed by the characteristics of the new mobile gas engine. As part of the testing, performance data, fuel consumption and safety features such as the emergency stop were verified. The emission measurements demonstrated compliance with IMO III emission standards with no additional exhaust gas aftertreatment.
During the factory acceptance test in Friedrichshafen, Melles said, “We decided in favor of a gas propulsion system, because we will be operating our ferries on the Wadden Sea, a World Heritage Site that has been declared a particularly sensitive area worthy of protection. MTU, with the appropriate pure gas engine, is the right partner for us. ”
The new 16-cylinder gas engine from MTU will be available as of 2018 as a certified series production engine covering a power range from around 1,500 to 2,000 kW. An 8-cylinder version will follow with a rated output of approximately 750 to 1,000 kW. The new gas engine is suited to tugboats, ferries, push boats and special purpose vessels such as research vessels. By comparison with a diesel engine without exhaust gas aftertreatment, the gas engine emits no soot particles and no sulphur oxides, 90 percent less NOx and 10 percent less greenhouse gas, the manufacturer said.
