Overhaul cylinder heads and liners; pistons and con rods; cam shafts; bearings; vibration dampers and injectors, and two turbocharger units after completely dismantling three of the marine diesel engines that power Dive Support Vessel (DSV) Rockwater 1, and get it all done within 18 days.  That would be a tall order for many firms in the engine service support business, but Royston’s nine-man team of engineers based in Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the North-East of England, worked day-and-night shifts without missing a beat to complete this first stage of the vessel’s 30,000-hour engine overhaul so that the  Subsea 7 offshore vessel was back to work on time after scheduled docking. Photo courtesy of Royston Ltd. While the team beavered away aboard the DSV in the Barrow-in-Furness dock, another six engineers machined components in the company’s nearby Newcastle workshop, a job that included servicing 27 cylinder heads and liners; fuel injectors; and a complete overh... [More]

A new low-cost alternative to heavy fuel oil recently came successfully through further tests on the 2-stroke marine diesel engine of a Maersk Line container ship, an engine fairly typical of a type to be found on modern ships.  The tests were carried out in late 2012 by A.P.Møller-Mærsk and a leading marine engine manufacturer. Maersk Triple-E Class Container Ship: Image credit Maersk Line On the back of this test, innovators Quadrise anticipate that commercial volumes of their Marine MSAR®2 bunker oil will be produced progressively from mid-2013, with a full commercial roll-out the following year.Quadrise was formed in the 1990’s by a group of former BP specialists who developed new technology to produce MSAR® (MulPphase Superfine Atomised Residue), from a variety of heavy hydrocarbons with superior combustion characteristics. In 2004 a long term alliance agreement was established with AkzoNobel, a world leader in surface chemistry.MSAR® Fuel Techn... [More]

Cummins Marine took their time so as to make doubly sure before releasing their new EPA Tier 3 compliant engine to the market; just in time to breast the tape before the deadline for the EPA standard for 2.5 to 3.5-liter per cylinder engines took effect on New Year’s Day. That was because they needed time to give their new QSK50 EPA Tier 3 engine a thorough work-out in a real marine working environment (and a tough one at that, as we shall see) on top of earlier test-bed trials in the factory.What better than to install the new engine in a working towboat – which is just what they did last August –  so that by mid-December 2012 the engine under test had done its job for about 1720 hours, in one of Enterprise Marine’s towboats, the  Eugenie, under the sharp eye of Cummins’ engineers. Towboat 'Eugenie': Photo courtesy of photographer Ron Richardson/Dick's Towboat Gallery The Eugenie’s  natural habitat as a push boat working the US inlan... [More]

A new high-speed marine diesel engine was introduced a few days ago by Caterpillar Marine Power Systems. The model C175-16, generally thought to be an improved version of the engine launched last year, is claimed by the manufacturers to be the cleanest-burning engine of its size in the world.High-speed four-stroke trunk piston engines are widely specified for propelling small, generally specialised, commercial vessels, such as offshore vessels, tugs and workboat applications, which is exactly the market Caterpillar has in mind for the new engine, although this unit might well serve as a main and emergency genset on any size of ship. High-speed Marine Diesel Engine CATERPILLAR C175-16: Photo credit Caterpillar Marine Power Systems Engine Details The 84.67 ltr displacement C175-16 engine, latest in a line of high performance engines designed to meet EPA Tier 3 and IMO Tier II emissions requirements, is rated at 2001/2168 bkW at 1600 rpm. With a bore of 175 mm (6.9 in) and a stroke o... [More]

Oil fuel is the major operational cost (not counting labour) of a typical commercial vessel followed by equipment maintenance. By closely monitoring fuel consumption, engine and other vital system data by the vessel crew and corporate office, substantial savings can be realised.The key is to have that data available in front of all the right persons at the right time allowing operational changes to be made quickly to optimise efficiency; better still if there are no monthly fees to be paid for the service. Just such a system was recently installed by American company Krill Systems in two of the U.S. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) specialised ocean research vessels, Henry B.Bigelow and Pisces.Each of these two ships has its own onboard database, called the Vessel Operations Centre (VOC), which through displays enables operators to make the most economical fuel settings on board.  At the same time sensor data is synchronised with the other ship’s VOC ... [More]

A system that puts waste heat from main engine plant to productive use by adding to ship's electrical supply has been installed by Swedish manufacturers Opcon Marine aboard  Wallenius Lines' car/truck carrier MV Figaro, and is reportedly being tested and fine-tuned. This fuel-saving technology is suitable for marine diesel engines sized 5 MW and upwards, and promises typical bunker savings on a 15 MW engined vessel of between 5 and 10 percent. Energy Sources and Electrical Power Schematic: Image courtsesy of Opcon Marine Opcon Powerbox Offers Two WHR SystemsPowerbox utilises waste heat recovery (WHR) by means of two separate technologies, and both have been installed in the machinery space of MV Figaro. Opcon Powerbox WST (Wet Steam Turbine), is a special type of steam turbine that generates electricity from wet or saturated steam that does not require overheating, unlike other, more conventional steam turbines. Opcon Powerbox ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle), utilises low-v... [More]

Container ship operators looking for the lowest possible fuel oil consumption at any engine load will be interested to hear word from MAN Diesel & Turbo that the first super-long-stroke large bore two-stroke engine specifically designed for them, the S90ME-C9.2, has just successfully completed trials on Hyundai Heavy Industries Engine & Machinery Division’s  test bed. Marine Diesel Engine MAN S90ME-C9.2: Photo credit Man Diesel & Turbo The new engine, of reduced size for container ship engine rooms (although the largest ever designed by MAN) is based on the VLCC-optimised S90ME-C8 engine, as operators look to reduce operating costs through slow steaming, turbocharger cut out and low-load engine optimisation; all of which are offered by the new engine. Engine Design Concept – MAN S90ME-C9.2 Low-speed two-stroke main engines of MAN’s existing MC type, with a chain driven camshaft, have limited flexibility with regard to fuel injection and exha... [More]

Oil fuel and lube oil testing proves its worth (let the buyer beware) advises chemical analysis specialist companies Lintec and Intertek, telling a few days ago of their joining hands to provide a service to help guard ship operators world-wide against the perils of using off-specification oils. A case study illustrates their point. The entire fleet of a Hamburg-based shipowner was placed on Lintec’s chemical screening programme. On one of the ships, on long-term charter, a sample fuel analysis revealed that bunker fuel containing DCPD (Dicyclopentadiene) and Styrene had been taken on board; the charterer being duly informed of the inherent risks to the ship’s engine that might arise from this bunker stem. Soon, operational difficulties, including blocked oil filters, were reported to the extent that the fuel had to be pumped out and replaced at the next port of call. Further lab analysis was done to determine the exact levels of contamination, with results that persuaded ... [More]

‘Jewel in the crown’ is how Wärtsilä Corporation CEO Björn Rosengren described his company’s Wärtsilä 32 medium speed marine diesel engine in the course of a recent wide-ranging interview for Maritime Reporter. He made this remark in the context that Wärtsilä is currently building up a new joint-venture factory in Nantong for assembly of the Wärtsilä 32 and Wärtsilä 26 engines for the Chinese market.  That he should accord pride of place to the 320-mm cylinder bore four-stroke engine amongst Wärtsilä’s treasury of propulsion power assets is not surprising, bearing in mind the vital part this engine has played in Wärtsilä's international success story, as will be seen. 'Jewel in the Crown' – Wärtsilä 32 Marine Diesel Engine: Photo credit: Wärtsilä Corporation Development of the Wärtsilä 32 EngineAbout 40 years ago Wärtsilä Diesel ... [More]

Scania announced last month that after five years research and development they were implementing a unified global engine platform based on the latest technology for all markets and for all emission standards. One of this new generation of engines, the Scania 13-litre  marine diesel has been chosen by the U.K.’s RNLI to power its forthcoming Shannon all-weather life-saving craft. Scania New Generation 13-litre Marine Diesel Engine: Photo courtesy of Scania The rescue craft will be powered by two Scania 13-litre marine engines, each rated at 650 hp. The entire design of these engines is modular, engineered for easy servicing and maximum uptime for operators. Interestingly, Scania say that the vast majority of their diesel engines can operate on up to 100% biodiesel fuel. Mikael Lindner, Sales Director, Scania  said: “RNLI and Scania (Great Britain) Ltd worked closely together to find the best possible solution for their new life-saving vessels. The choice ... [More]