Pioneering Rolls-Royce contract for tanker design

Rolls-Royce has entered into a contract with Bergen Tankers for delivery of design and equipment for a product tanker of the NVC 604 PT type. The contract was negotiated by Rolls-Royce?s merchant vessel design department, Nordvestconsult (NVC), in Aalesund, Norway.

This vessel type has a large market potential, since new rules and regulations prohibit and restrict the use of single-hulled tanker vessels and thereby drive the demand for new double-hulled tonnage. After a period without new design contracts in the merchant vessel segment, this is a break-through for NVC in a new market. The company is also facing an increase in demand for its RoRo vessel designs.

The Norwegian tanker company has placed the order for construction with the Turkish shipbuilder RMK Marine Shipyard. The newbuilding, which will be delivered to its owners autumn 2005, will enter into a long time charter for an oil major, and will mostly operate on the Norwegian coast.

The vessel will be driven by two independent propulsion systems, each comprising a main engine with a built-on shaft alternator and an Azipull azimuthing thruster, developed by Rolls-Royce. The main engines, each developing approx. 1400 kW, will propel the vessel at a service speed of 13,5 knots fully laden. Length overall is 89.90 m and the dead weight is 4,200 tonnes. The cargo will be contained in 10 cargo tanks with a total volume of 5,200 cum.