MAN power for Taiwanese ferry

The medium-speed engines will form part of a complete propulsion system delivered by MAN Diesel & Turbo that includes reversible gearboxes, MAN Alpha twin-screw fixed-pitch propellers and a ship alarm system.

The 106m ferry will be built by Jade Shipbuilding, Kaohsiung of Taiwan and will travel six days a week between Keelung and the Matsu islands. MAN Diesel & Turbo will build the engines at its facility in Augsburg, Germany. Delivery of the propulsion system is scheduled for December 2012 with vessel delivery timed for January 2014.

As customer, Lienchiang County had a number of key requirements for the propulsion system, including:

• Two 3,450mm diameter, four-blade, FP propellers, selected among other reasons due to the positive experience of local operators;
• High torque at part-load and fast load response to optimise manoeuvrability;
• Lowest possible fuel consumption ;
• No visible soot emissions while manoeuvring in harbour
• The lowest possible overall emissions.

Ultimately, these requirements favoured the adoption of common-rail technology rather than conventional injection. The FP propeller transmits a power of 4,635kW per engine and, as the highest propeller efficiency possible alongside low noise and vibration were key factors, the MAN Alpha propellers were specified. A water-lubricated stern tube arrangement was selected to obtain the most environmentally friendly shafting solution.

For safety on board, MAN Diesel & Turbo has employed a ship alarm system that displays every message in traditional Chinese characters.