Austal’s Vietnam shipyard has ordered four MAN 16V175D-MM engines, delivering 2,720 kW at 1,800 rev/min for water-jet propulsion to be used on a high-speed catamaran ferry newbuilding for the Degage Group.
The 66 m, 574 pax ferry is scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2023 and will operate as the ‘Apetahi Express’ between Pape’ete (Tahiti) and Vaitape (Bora Bora) in French Polynesia.
She will have a contracted top speed of 35.8 knots and a range of 360 nautical miles.
Tuanua Degage, President, Degage Group, said “These will be the first MAN engines in our fleet. We are very much looking forward to working with MAN Energy Solutions (MES), and in particular the MAN PrimeServ New Zealand team, to ensure the highest levels of engine reliability and economy on this very demanding route.”
Ben Andres, MES Head of High-Speed Sales, said: “This is an important milestone for the MAN 175D, as it wins the favour of yet another, high-speed ferry application, this time with the Degage Group, an acknowledged leader in commercial maritime transportation and tourism.
“The 175D has a number of advantages that make it eminently suitable for such a technically demanding application, including its long times-between-overhaul, and its best-in-class fuel consumption,” he claimed.
MAN PrimeServ, MES’ after-sales division, said that it has already established a service operation in the region based at Auckland, where its local hub services 175D engines in operation for the New Zealand Navy.
The same hub is located conveniently for maintenance and service support of the Tahitian newbuilding ferry.
MES said that the engine has a number of advantages that makes it suitable for high-speed craft operation, including:
- very long TBOs for demanding ferry operation with continuous high average load.
- most competitive fuel consumption in the 2,720 kW power range.
- lowest operating costs in class.
MES developed the MAN 175D engine range to supplement and complete its product portfolio in the maritime sector.
In three variants of 12, 16 and 20 cylinders, the engine is available with an output ranging from 1,500 to 4,400 kW and is optimised for powering ferries and other types of vessels.
It is claimed to be an extremely eco-friendly engine, being designed from the outset with compliance to the latest, as well as future, exhaust gas emission requirements and utilises a very compact and flexible SCR system, which enables vessel designers to optimise space on board to the maximum.
