Tognum to supply mtu Series 8000 engines for new catamaran ferry

• Four large diesels generating 9,100 kW each to provide main propulsion for one of Europe’s fastest catamaran ferries.
• Four gensets driven by S60 engines to supply on-board power for the vessel.
• Ferry service between Italy and Malta from 2010

Friedrichshafen, 4 June 2009. The propulsion system and power generation specialist Tognum has won a contract for its Engines business unit from the Australian shipyard Austal to supply four large diesel engines. The 20V 8000 M71L-model mtu engines, each capable of 9,100 kW (12,376 PS), will provide the main propulsion for the new catamaran ferry “Jean de la Valetta” operated by “Virtu Ferries” from Malta. The vessel will also use four on-board gensets powered by S60 engines. Virtu Ferries operates high-speed catamaran ferry services between Italy and Malta.

The mtu propulsion system will take the twin-hulled, aluminum “Austal Auto Express 107”-Type vessel and its cargo of 800 passengers, 230 automobiles and 342 truck-lane metres up to a service speed of approximately 39 knots. After commissioning in 2010, the ship will be one of Europe’s largest catamaran ferries.
The new contract represents the latest step in the long-standing and successful cooperation between the Tognum Group and Austal shipyards. Up to the present, 44 large diesels in the 8000 engine series have been fitted in a wide range of Austal vessels such as the “Hawaii Superferry ” catamarans and the trimaran “Benchijigua Express”.

Attractive features of the Friedrichshafen-built Series 8000 marine propulsion units for the customer include high reliability which has been demonstrated over more than 240,000 hours of operation, their low fuel consumption of less than 190 g/kWh and the best power/weight ratio in their class in the world. Low-pollution emissions also mean that the engines have International Maritime Organization (IMO) certification in compliance with the MARPOL Convention.
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