MAN Diesel Power for Record Breaking Catamarans

Following closely on a contract for nine engines to power what will be the largest vessel in the world, MAN Diesel has now announced a contract for eight engines to power two record-breaking catamarans. The catamarans will be the latest in a series of fast multihull ferries from leading catamaran exponent Incat of Tasmania, Australia. With an overall length of 112 metres and a beam of 30 metres, the new catamarans are the largest ever built in Australia, an acknowledged centre of excellence in this shipbuilding sector. Moreover, in a further distinction, the new contract also involves the first orders received for the 28/33 D diesel since the engine’s transfer from MAN Diesel’s UK facilities to its engine works in Augsburg, Germany. In detail, the contract covers eight of the largest, 20 cylinder versions of MAN Diesel’s four-stroke, 52° vee configuration 28/33 D engines, each rated 9,000 kW at 1000 rpm and represents a seamless transition from UKbuilt engines to German-built engines in Incat vessels. In the 112 metre catamarans two of the 20 cylinder engines are installed in each of the twin aluminium hulls where they drive high capacity reversible water-jets via reduction gears with horizontal offset input and output shafts. The total installed power of 36 MW gives the catamarans a loaded speed of 40 knots, Incat states. The first in the new 112 metre catamaran series, the Natchan Rera ordered by Japanese operator Higashinihon Ferry was launched in early July 2007 and is due for delivery at the end of July 2007. It is powered by 28/33 D engines built before the technology transfer to Germany and will operate across Tsugaru Strait between the Japanese islands of Honshu and Hokkaido, carrying up to 355 cars or 450 lane metres of trucks and 193 cars. While Incat’s 112 metre catamaran ferry design can accommodate up to 1500 passengers, the owners of the Natchan Rera have opted for luxury and specified a custom design and layout catering for 800 passengers, Incat reports. With its 40 knot speed, the new catamaran is expected to approximately halve the current sailing time of existing ferries between Aomori and Hakodate as well as greatly enhancing the comfort and convenience of regular passenger services. About MAN Diesel MAN Diesel is the world’s leading provider of large-bore diesel engines for marine and power plant applications. The company develops two-stroke and four-stroke engines, auxiliary engines, turbochargers and propulsion packages that are manufactured both by the MAN Diesel Group and its licensees and deliver between 450 kW and 97.3 MW of power. MAN Diesel employs over 6,400 staff, primarily in Germany, Denmark, France, the UK, the Czech Republic and China. The global after-sales organisation, MAN Diesel PrimeServ, comprises a network of the company’s own service centres and authorised partners. MAN Diesel is a company of MAN AG, which is listed on the DAX share index of the 30 leading companies in Germany. MAN Diesel Group Marketing Communications Stadtbachstrasse 1 86224 Augsburg - Germany Phone +49 (0) 821 - 322 41 79 Fax +49 (0) 821 - 322 42 30 E-Mail: press@manbw.de Internet: www.mandiesel.com For further information, please contact: Jonathan Walker Phone +49 (0) 821 - 322 41 79