Rolls-Royce has collaborated with China’s Zhenjiang Shipyard to improve their commercial marine offerings in tug and workboats powered by high-speed engines.
Under the strategic cooperation agreement, the companies will unify their technical strength and business insight to fortify their competitive hold in the market.
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The shipyard and Rolls-Royce Power Systems will jointly explore business opportunities.
The partnership’s initial focus will be to work towards supporting the development of tugboats with mtu high-speed engines in China.
High-speed engines have a speed exceeding 1,000rpm.
With the installation of these engines, vessels can offer enhanced manoeuvrability and compactness. The engines will also reduce operating expenses, carbon emissions, and fuel consumption.
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By GlobalDataAs a result, the ships featuring such engines become more suitable to operate in narrow and sheltered waters.
Zhenjiang Shipyard president Yan Guo said: “Zhenjiang Shipyard is a leading manufacturer of special vessels, especially of full-rotary tugboats, marine workboats and public vessels and has strong R&D capabilities. With the signing of the strategic cooperation agreement, we will promote the application of mtu high-speed engines in full-rotary tugboats and marine workboats.”
As of now, Rolls-Royce has so far supplied more than 480 mtu engines for tugs and workboats across the globe.
Rolls-Royce’s mtu marine engines fulfil the requirements of ‘high-performance’ tugboats for operability, speed, volume, and weight.
Apart from being compact, these provide additional maintenance space and high power.
In a statement, Rolls-Royce said: “In addition, thanks to the application of advanced industry-leading technologies such as high-pressure common-rail and electronic injection, mtu marine engines offer excellent low-load torque, low fuel consumption and maintenance convenience.”
In September this year, US-based Sea Machines Robotics collaborated with Rolls-Royce to deliver autonomous ship control solutions.
