Something else that emerges from the BALance study is that a substantial portion of the European marine equipment industry is accounted for by small companies. If these companies want to survive in the future they will have to not only keep on the forefront of technology, they will have to develop the marketing muscle to take their products worldwide.
That's going to be to much of a stretch for many of them. In consequence, we can expect to see more of the process of mergers and acquisitions that has led to the creation of entities such as the Rolls-Royce marine division, or Wartsila Propulsion, which now includes the John Crane Lips line. The portfolios of both these groups now include a large number of products previously well known as market leaders under their own names.
The other key to survival for European suppliers with global ambitions has to be continued technical innovation and improvement.

STRONG EMPHASIS ON INNOVATION
European advance in maritime technology were certainly be on parade at SMM.

On the MAN B&W Diesel Group's 350 square meter stand, for example, the central exhibit was e a huge piston from the K98MC, the world's largest engine. Also showcased was the completely newly developed TCA exhaust gas turbocharger series. Models were used to show the latest MAN B&W diesel developments. The V 48/60B is a further development of the successful 48/60 engine and is particularly suited for application in cruise vessels, ferries and large multi-purpose freighters. The RK280 is intended for both high-speed ferries and Navy applications. The 20 PA6 B STC S.E.M.T. Pielstick engine has already been used for the propulsion of high-speed ferries and is presently also installed in a number of naval vessels. The VP185 high-speed engine is used both in high-speed ferries and in genset applications.
"Appearance at the SMM offers the possibility to emphasize our leading role in international shipping," says Dr. Wolfram Lausch, Director of the MAN B&W Diesel Marine Division. "After all the two- and four-stroke engines produced by the MAN B&W Diesel Group and their licensees are, with a market share of approximately 50 percent, leading the world market with regard to the propulsion of large ocean-going vessels."

A NEW BIG CAT
Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, Kiel,Germany, used SMM to introduce four new heavy-fuel engine series to the marine market between 1992 and 2000. This year, the company presented yet another new engine—the V-type M 43. The VM 43 will be available in 12, 16 and 18 cylinder versions. It doubles the maximum available output of the existing Caterpillar Motoren engine program, so that it now covers a range from 1,020 kW/1,380 hp to 16,200 kW/22,030 hp. This latest product is opening up important new market segments.
As with all Caterpillar Motoren engines of the new long-stroke generation, the design of the VM 43 was kept as simple as possible, which is an advantage to yards and operators in terms of ease of installation and low operating costs, due to minimum down times for service and to very easy maintenance. Its design is based on the successful in-line version, the M 43. Because the engine has the same speed, stroke and bore, it has been possible to make use of a large number of components of the M 43, e.g. cylinder head, connecting rod, piston, cylinder liner with calibration ring, valve drive, cooling water ring and the turbocharger. All these are identical in the in-line and V-versions. The VM 43 is the first Caterpillar Motoren product to feature an important new design characteristic "Flexible Camshaft Technology." Internal to the engine, it is the result of a development step taken to reduce NOx emissions and soot emissions to below the IMO limit over the entire operating range.

NEW SCHOTTEL PROPULSOR
The Schottel Electric Propulsor (SEP), will be the focus at Schottel's SMM stand. The development of the SEP is the result of investigations into the market demand for pods in the smaller power range. This innovative pod drive system covers the power range of 1 to 5 MW.
Schottel offers podded drives with different types of electric motors—asynchronous, synchronous and permanent-magnet—depending on the owner or shipyard's requirement and the vessel's duties. Pod drives in twin propeller versions are particularly suitable for RoPax, double-ended ferries, supply vessels, tankers, containerships and yachts. For the offshore industry, pods with single propellers in nozzles are part of the new development.
The new Schottel Electric Propulsor supplements an existing product range of both azimuthing and conventional propulsion and maneuvering systems. The current product line includes Rudderpropellers (SRP), Twin-Propellers (STP), Navigators (NAV), Pump-Jets (SPJ), Transverse Thrusters (STP), Controllable-Pitch Propeller plants (SCP) including shafting, rudder systems, and remote control devices, as well as custom-made steering and control systems (SST).
ML

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