
Rolls-Royce powers world’s fastest offshore crew transfer vessels
Written by Nick Blenkey
Photo: Rolls-Royce
As we reported earlier, Singapore Shipbuilder Strategic Marine recently delivered the first of three 35-meter crew transfer vessels that will be used by a national oil company in Africa for personnel transfer to offshore platforms and FPSO vessels.
Sea trials demonstrate maximum speed exceeding 53 knots under operational load. The vessels are based on an SES (surface effect ship) design and each is powered by four 16-cylinder MTU Series 2000M72 engines from Rolls-Royce.
Surface Effect Ships (SES) use air-cushion technology within a catamaran hull form. and the Strategic Marine crew transfer vessel trio represent the first application of the technology in the offshore oil and gas i
The vessels have an optimized power-to-weight ratio and use powerful fans to generate an air cushion between the hulls that minimizes hull drag and resistance. Combined with the MTU propulsion package (delivering 5,760 kW of power), the vessels can travel at much higher speeds than conventional monohulls and catamarans, with consumption remaining at the same per hour of operations. The high speed of well over 50 knots (more than 90 km/h) ensures shorter transit times, while the low hull resistance saves fuel and reduces emissions.

“Our goal in building these crew transport vessels was to minimize the water resistance at the hulls and maximize the cruising and top speed of the ship,” says Strategic Marine CEO Chan Eng Yew. “The 53-knot top speed during the sea trials demonstrates that we were successful in building and commercialising this technology for offshore crew transfer applications. MTU engines have made a significant contribution thanks to their unique power-to-weight ratio.”
“We are extremely proud that our MTU propulsion package has helped to develop this new and extraordinary type of vessel,” said Denise Kurtulus, senior vice president global marine at Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “The excellent power-to-weight ratio and long maintenance intervals of over 12,000 hours were crucial factors in the selection of our engines. These product benefits will help us achieve our strategic goal of increasing our share of the commercial marine market.”