Fratelli Neri tug power

MAN B&W Diesel A/S, Denmark, has been awarded the contract to supply a twin

L21/31 propulsion engine package for a 30m Italian tractor tug newbuilding. This is the first tractor tug application for the 1,000 rpm L21/31 engine design following sales of 280 units, the majority for GenSet applications and the propulsion of coastal tankers and general cargo vessels.

Construction of the tug has started at the Italian shipyard Rosetti Marino SpA, Ravenna, for the Livorno-based Neri Group. Fratelli Neri SpA, owns and operates a large fleet of various tugs, supply vessels, floating cranes and barges, from various locations along the Italian east coast.

The propulsion engines will be delivered from Denmark for installation at the yard during August, with the tug scheduled for delivery around the end of the year.

Each nine-cylinder L21/31 engine is specified with an MCR of 2,025 kW, and will drive a Schottel controllable pitch (SRP) rudder propeller unit. Additionally, the engines will each power an Advance/Asug gearbox, driving hydraulics and firefighting pumps, via a front-end PTO.