VIDEO: First MTU marine gas engines complete factory tests

The first two pre-production units of the new mobile MTU gas engine from Rolls-Royce successfully completed their performance tests and were accepted by the customer at the beginning of December. In the picture (L to R): Paul Melles, Managing Director of Rederij Doeksen, Phil Kordic, Sales Manager MTU and Peter Cottam, Strategic Marine

DECEMBER 13, 2017 — The first two pre-production units of MTU’s new marine gas engine have successfully completed factory acceptance testing.

The 16-cylinder Series 4000 gas engines, each with an output of 1,492 kW, will power the first of two LNG-fueled RoPax catamarans under construction at shipbuilder Strategic Marine’s Vietnam shipyard. The vessels are being built for Netherlands ferry operator Rederij Doeksen for operation on the environmentally sensitive Wadden Sea.

MTU presented the new engine for the first time at the SMM International Maritime Trade Fair in September 2016. The engines have since completed well over 5,000 hours on the test bench.

“We are very happy with the test run,” said Paul Melles, Managing Director of Rederij Doeksen. “All the key engine parameters, such as the extremely dynamic acceleration behavior, have now been verified by MTU.”

The factory acceptance tests were carried out in the presence of the shipowner, the shipbuilder and classification society Lloyd’s Register of Shipping. An integral part of the testing involved verifying the performance data, the fuel consumption and the engine’s safety features, such as the emergency stop. Emission measurements, as expected, demonstrated compliance with IMO III emission standards with no additional exhaust gas aftertreatment.

“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,” said Mr. Melles. “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 well 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 sulfur oxides, 90 percent less NOx and 10 percent less greenhouse gas.