Growth prediction

Rolls-Royce is looking to its newly enlarged marine systems division to drive group growth as prospects in its core civil aerospace markets slow.

Marine division managing director Bob Sunerton said that following its £500 million acquisition late last year of British defence group Vickers and its Ulstein marine divisions, Rolls? marine sales worldwide are now about £1 billion ($1.58 billion) yearly, a figure he expects to double in the next five or six years.

Rolls, he said, will focus on the supply of complete propulsion systems and has organised its marine business into seven divisions so customers deal directly with specialist teams.

Th company?s main non-naval business is currently the supply of Trent gas turbine engines and Kamewa 325 waterjets to the American FastShip project.