SMM 2012: Advanced Marine Propulsion Technology

What do the great deal of the biggest mega yachts and the world’s fastest high-speed ferries have in common? They are all powered by MTU diesel engines. Worldwide, the same applies to many other ships such as frigates, standard tug boats and platform supply vessels. As different as the ships’ tasks may be, they can all depend on solid solutions from MTU to get their job done.

Friedrichshafen/Hamburg, September 2012. MTU provides propulsion solutions for marine applications like naval and governmental vessels, tug boats, offshore vessels, fast ferries and yachts. The high-speed marine diesel engines cover a broad power range from 260 to 9,100kW (350 to 12,340bhp). As a systems partner, MTU supplies complete propulsion packages that include all subsystems such as gearboxes, propellers, onboard power supply systems and integrated ship automation systems. The range of products is complemented by extensive services provided under the MTU ValueCare program.

Propulsion solutions for governmental and naval vessels

For more than 50 years, MTU has developed specific propulsion concepts for the naval industry. As a single source integrator, MTU configures the propulsion systems including automation systems like “Callosum” that best fit the requirements of navies and coast guards worldwide: German class 125 frigates and French FREMM frigates, US Coast Guard’s National Security Cutters and Joint High Speed Vessels of the US Army, Turkish MILGEM corvettes and Baynunah corvettes built in the United Arab Emirates. Patrol vessels powered by MTU engines protect the coasts and open waters of Mauritius, Trinidad & Tobago, India and many other nations. Combined propulsion systems link several fuel-efficient diesel engines or diesel engines with gas turbines, providing the needed flexibility, agility and redundancy. With a power output of up to 35MW (46,900bhp), gas turbines enable ships to achieve maximum speeds of over 50 knots. Highly advanced modern vessels like the US Navy’s “Independence”-variant Littoral Combat Ships are the first defense vessels in the world to feature a trimaran hull. They rely on a combined MTU diesel engine and gas turbine propulsion system for efficient operations.

MTU has also been playing an important role in the development and design of diesel-electric submarine propulsion systems. The Series 396 is the most successful MTU submarine engine. It is currently installed in most of the world’s conventional submarines such as the German U212, where it generates power for both main propulsion and on-board utilities.

Proven engines are also the key when it comes to extending vessels’ operating lifetime despite limited budgets. The Colombian Navy recently modernized its four “Almirante Padilla” class frigates by replacing the vessels’ 30-year old MTU Series 1163 engines with the current version of the same engine model. This included the “Callosum” ship monitoring and control system, which will extend the propulsion system overhaul period to 20 years. The on-board power generation systems were also replaced with MTU gensets based on Series 2000 engines. Opting to modernize the frigates with MTU engines, the Colombian Navy was able to make the most of existing assets and facilities.

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Press Release, Septembar 5, 2012