China selects Volvo Penta in environmental program

Volvo Penta is delivering diesel engines to newly built 30 metre long tourist boats that will traffic one of China?s extensive inland lake system. The environmental features of the engines were decisive in the Chinese authorities? selection of supplier.

When the Chinese authorities a while ago decided to build a number of new passenger boats for traffic on the Thousand Island Lake, one of China?s many large inland lake systems, a careful environmental valuation was made of a number of domestic and foreign diesel engine manufacturers. The lake system, located about 500 kilometers southwest of Shanghai, is an area of natural beauty, with heavy tourism and passenger traffic. It is also an important freshwater reserve.

Moreover, the quality of the water in the lake system is considered to be very high. To be able to safeguard this high quality and concurrently deal with rising tourism, the Chinese authorities have been highly intent upon finding the most environmentally friendly engine alternative for the new boats.

The choice fell to Volvo Penta and the new medium-heavy diesel engine range for commercial vessels that Volvo introduced recently in China. The emission levels for these 5 and 7 litre engines are 4 times lower than many of the domestic engine alternatives. The first boats, equipped with 129kW Volvo Penta D7A T engines, were delivered in mid-April this year and will have a service speed of 10 knots.