MaK power for Scandlines car ferries

Two Scandlines car ferry newbuilds from P+S Werften’s Volkswerft Stralsund shipyard in Germany will each be equipped with five MaK 9 M 32 C engines with Cat Common Rail. Each M 32 C engine produces 4,500 kW at 600 rpm for 22,500 kW of total power per vessel. The engines are optimized for smokeless operation and reduced nitrogen emission levels, which fulfill IMO II requirements.

The ferries will be deployed on the Rostock, Germany, to Gedser, Denmark, service and have the following main particulars:

Length: 169 m Breadth, molded: 24.80 m Design draft: 5.50 m Capacity: 1,500 passengers 460 cars or 90 trucks (approximately 1,600 lane m) Main engines: 15,800 kW Speed: 20.5 knots

“Based on the success of the retrofitted M 32 C engines on container vessels, Scandlines asked Caterpillar to deliver the engines for a unique combined propulsion system for two new single-end car ferries,” said Andreas Banck, Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co.KG Senior Test Engineer. “The MaK engines will power both the main propulsion engines and the alternators enabling Scandlines to reduce maintenance costs and operate the ferries in a safe, environmentally-friendly manner.”

Caterpillar initially developed the Cat Common Rail system for the M 32 C engine series in 2006. The Edith Maersk, owned by A.P. Moeller – Maersk A/S, utilized the first M 32 C auxiliary engine retrofitted with Cat Common Rail. Cat Common Rail features electronically controlled, fully flexible injectors capable of injecting all fuels standardized according to ISO 8217 requirements, enabling optimal combustion and low emissions at all levels. Cat Common Rail can be retrofitted on the M 32 C.

“Another remarkable aspect of the M 32 C engine is the option to retrofit the engines to Dual Fuel operation at a later stage if necessary,” said Frank Kircher, Division Manager, Caterpillar Marine Systems Integration. “This gives Scandlines the freedom to decide how they would like to operate the vessels in 2015 when more stringent rules for the Sulfur Emission Controlled Area (SECA) become effective.”

Both vessels will be delivered to Scandlines in 2012. While the engines will be manufactured at the Caterpillar factory in Kiel, Germany, a collaboration between European Cat Dealers Zeppelin Power Systems and Pon Power Scandinavia will provide Scandlines with sales and installation support, as well as product support and service.

“We’re pleased to be able to provide Scandlines with a tailor-made solution that covers the power requirement throughout all operating conditions,” noted Territory Sales Manager Ulf Hannemann. “Our customers have been pleased with the reliability of our engines, the reduced soot emission levels provided by Flexible Camshaft Technology (FCT) and the operational flexibility Cat Common Rail offers.”

January 26, 2011