MAN 175D engines for high-speed ferry

The 66 metre, 574-passenger ferry is scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2023 and will operate as the Apetahi Express between Pape’ete in Tahiti and Vaitape in Bora Bora in French Polynesia. The new ferry will have a contracted top speed of 35.8 knots and a range of 360 nautical miles.

These will be the first MAN engines in Degage’s fleet. “This is an important milestone for the MAN 175D as it wins the favour of yet another, high-speed ferry application, this time with the Degage Group, an acknowledged leader in commercial maritime transportation and tourism,” said Ben Andres, head of high-speed sales, MAN Energy Solutions.

The MAN 175D engine comes in three variants of 12, 16 and 20 cylinders, with outputs ranging from 1,500 to 4,400 Kilowatts. Optimised for propelling ferries, offshore supply vessels, tug boats and other working vessels, the set-up chosen by Degage will provide 2,720 kW of water-jet propulsion at 1,800 rpm.