Rolls-Royce supplies mtu engines for new fast ferries in Abu Dhabi

• Penguin Shipyard International in Singapore orders eight 16V4000 mtu engines for two aluminium fast ferries for Abu Dhabi Ports Group
• The pair of 56m RoPax ferries, each with over 14,000 hp of mtu power, will transport passengers and cars faster than existing ferries
• Top position: mtu engines on board of around 850 fast ferries worldwide

Rolls-Royce has received an order from Penguin Shipyard International Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based shipbuilder and shipowner Penguin International Limited, to supply eight mtu Series 4000 engines for two new aluminium RoPax fast ferries. The vessels are being built at Penguin’s Batam shipyard for the port and ship operator Abu Dhabi Ports Group from the United Arab Emirates. Designed by Incat Crowther UK for construction by Penguin, the 56-metre-long, roll-on roll-off vessels will in late 2024 replace existing ferries that are plying between the UAE mainland and Delma Island, located some 42 kilometres offshore. With the four 16-cylinder mtu Series 4000 engines per vessel delivering together more than 10,000 kilowatts (about 14,000 hp) of power, the aluminum ferries are expected to run at speeds of well above 30 knots, significantly reducing travel time for up to 250 passengers and 25 cars per trip.  

“We are very pleased to continue our long-standing partnership with Penguin Shipyard International, an expert in high-speed aluminium vessels, who have once again chosen us as their propulsion supplier. This order also confirms that our propulsion solutions continue to be in high demand in the fast ferry market,” said Chew Xiang Yu, Director Marine APAC at the business unit Power Systems of Rolls-Royce.

Penguin has been using mtu engines from Rolls-Royce for more than a decade

Rolls-Royce has been supplying mtu engines to Penguin for more than ten years. As recently as spring 2023, Rolls-Royce Power Systems received an order for six 16-cylinder mtu Series 4000 engines for two new fire fighting and rescue vessels being built by Penguin for the marine division of the Singapore Civil Defence Force.  

“Over the past decade, we have come to appreciate Rolls-Royce and their mtu solutions as our go-to partners in the powering of mission-critical high-speed vessels,” said Penguin International Limited’s managing director James Tham. “Rolls-Royce is a dependable partner in good times and bad. They provide excellent customer experience for each project.” For the Abu Dhabi RoPaxes, mtu engines were selected based on their robustness and fuel efficiency. The Series 4000 engines are capable of operating continuously at high power, without power loss, in elevated ambient temperatures.

Top position: mtu engines on board of around 850 fast ferries worldwide

Around 850 fast ferries worldwide operate with mtu propulsion systems from Rolls-Royce. No other engine brand is on board so many fast ferries. “We know what ferry operators need and are constantly working to further develop our range of solutions. Our engines have a high power density, are particularly reliable and are efficient with low fuel consumption and low life cycle costs - which is exactly why operators of fast ferries, double-ended ferries and catamarans choose mtu propulsion systems,” explained Denise Kurtulus, Vice President Global Marine at Rolls-Royce Power Systems. The mtu Series 4000 engines, along with mtu exhaust aftertreatment systems, are certified for EPA Tier 4 and IMO III emissions regulations and are now also approved for sustainable fuels such as HVO.

Penguin Shipyard has already delivered more than 200 aluminium vessels

Penguin International Limited is a Singapore-based, publicly traded company that designs, builds, owns and operates high-speed aluminium vessels through a group of wholly owned, integrated subsidiaries. Penguin Shipyard International Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Penguin International Limited, operates a 30,000-square metre shipyard in Singapore and a 50,000-square metre shipyard in Batam, Indonesia.   Since 1995, the company has delivered more than 200 aluminium workboats, patrol boats and passenger ferries to ship owners around the world.