Uzmar Shipyards in Turkey has placed an order for four of MAN’s latest variant 12V175D-MM marine propulsion engines for a pair of TRAnsverse tugs for towage operator Svitzer.
Each shipset consists of two engines, each rated at 2,400kW. MAN Energy Solutions’ production facility in Frederikshavn, Denmark will supply the engines directly to Uzmar with deliveries respectively scheduled for November and December 2023, while vessel completions are planned for late 2024. Upon handover, the tugs will enter service as part of Svitzer’s Australian fleet.
As part of its decarbonisation strategy, Svitzer is gradually introducing new, low-emission fuel types into its operations. The new engines will provide the opportunity to run on HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), which can bring tank-to-wake carbon emissions to zero.
Kasper Karlsen, COO Svitzer, said: “While always selecting engines that will be dependable in our diverse and often demanding marine-services operations many years into the future, the opportunities for decarbonisation are an equally important consideration. MAN Energy Solutions is a key provider for us in this context, and we are pleased to be partnering with them for the delivery of engines for our two new TRAnsverse tugs.”
Florian Keiler, Head of High Speed, MAN Energy Solutions, said: “This important order provides another clear example of the benefits of having compact 12-cylinder propulsion engines with this amount of power available for harbour tug applications. It also demonstrates the trust that global customers, such as Svitzer and Uzmar, place in MAN Energy Solutions to deliver the highest quality equipment with many significant performance benefits.”
The MAN 175D engine range was developed to supplement and complete MAN Energy Solutions’ product portfolio in the maritime sector. Available in three variants of 12-, 16- and 20-cylinders, the engine is available with an output ranging from 1,500kW to 4,400KW and is optimised for propelling ferries, offshore support ships, tugs and other working vessels. Other market areas, such as superyachts and naval marine applications can be served by additional engine variants.
The 175D was designed from the outset for low fuel consumption, coupled with compliance to the latest exhaust-gas-emission standards and considering as well future fuel requirements where it is already cleared for operation on biofuels, such as FAME and HVO.
MAN Energy Solutions sees green future fuels as key to the decarbonisation of shipping. Besides biofuels, MAN engines using power-to-X fuels can already be operated totally climate-neutrally. Over the next few years, customers will be able to use other future fuels – such as methanol – produced in a climate-neutral manner through green-fuel production facilities. Furthermore, in addition to new engines, MAN Energy Solutions is thinking in terms of retrofitting the existing fleet to make it capable of running on green fuels, a move that safeguards not only the climate but also customers’ investments.
