MAN supplies propulsion system for new GEFO tanker
MAN Diesel & Turbo has supplied a complete propulsion system comprising a 7L32/44CR engine, Renk gears and an Alpha adjustable CP propeller for an ultra-modern chemicals tanker operated by GEFO Gesellschaft für Öltransporte mbH. For MAN Diesel & Turbo, the order represents a breakthrough for the 32/44CR series in the small twin-hulled tanker sector of the market, the MAN D&T press release said.
The tanker, christened “Fidelio”, has a DWT of 6366 and can transport 260 types of (petro-) chemical materials – from vegetable oil to sulfuric acid. The Fidelio’s main routes will be in northern Europe, however the tanker is also equipped for worldwide operation and therefore complies with the strict emissions regulations enforced in US coastal waters. The chemicals tanker was built at the Tersan shipyard in Yalova (Turkey) and is currently on its maiden voyage from Israel via France to the Netherlands.
The 7L32/44CR engine, built at MAN Diesel & Turbo’s plant in Augsburg, has an output of 3,920 kW and drives a MAN Alpha Mark 5 adjustable propeller via a reduction gear unit from Renk. This combination boosts the drive system’s efficiency by up to nine percent, helping to save both fuel and costs as well as reduce emissions.
The gears also have a pinion shaft which operates a Cummins generator to supply the ship’s power (PTO mode). The generator can also serve as an electrical motor to drive the propeller at reduced speeds and when the main engine is offline (PTH mode). With this configuration, the propulsion system guarantees a high level of reliability and excellent cost-effectiveness.
The tanker “Fidelio” is the first in a series of three new designs featuring the MAN drive train to also include the “Othello” and the “Traviata”, and which are due to be delivered in the summer and fall of this year.
The 32/44CR engine was developed as a drive and auxiliary engine for use on ships, for the offshore industry and for stationary applications. With electrically controlled injection, variable valve control and highly efficient turbochargers, it combines all of the latest technologies available for large diesel engines. The Common Rail technology from MAN Diesel & Turbo supports parameters that permit the flexible adjustment of the injection point, duration and pressure. With its highly specific output with simultaneously low fuel consumption and reduced emissions, the 32/44CR is setting new standards in its engine class.
Augsburg-headquartered MAN Diesel & Turbo founded in 1758 is now the world market leader for large diesel engines for use in ships and power stations, and is one of the three leading suppliers of turbo machines. The company employs some 12,500 persons, and is represented in more than 150 countries. MAN Diesel & Turbo is a company within the Power Engineering Business Area of MAN SE, one of the 30 leading German companies quoted in the DAX Share Index.