Large-bore diesel engines from MAN Diesel & Turbo are used in ships and power plants all over the world. They are workhorses with a long service life that their owners expect to deliver cost-effectiveness and reliability. However, increasing focus is now also being placed on engines’ compatibility with the environment. This is of particular relevance to shipbuilders, whose fleets often travel through Emissions Controlled Areas (ECAs). In these areas, significantly stricter limits apply to emissions than on the open ocean.
If – like the “Maria S. Merian” – the ship is also engaged in ocean research, environmental compatibility is even more important than the total operating costs. The 94-metre-long, ultra-modern specialist ship primarily investigates the influence of the oceans on climate change. To do this, the high-tech cruiser carries around 20 scientists and as many crew members to the northern Gulf Stream and into the icy fringes of the Arctic – powered by four of our four-stroke engines, two six-cylinder and two eight-cylinder type 21/31 engines. They are able to accelerate the ship with a maximum of 5,600 kilowatts of power to 15 knots. In order to remain seaworthy and functional even outside the safety of the harbours and beyond all the recognised shipping lanes, the system is duplicated in two separate machine rooms.
On a research vessel, environmental compatibility is as crucial as absolute reliability. The Maria S. Merian is such a fine example of this that it received the “Blauer Engel” (“Blue Angel”) environmental award – and so did our engines. These are the first engines in the world to bear the eco-angel seal of approval. This is all thanks to the MAN Diesel & Turbo engineers who modified the injection system. Instead of heavy oil, only gas oil is used to propel the ship. The exhaust gases are consequently virtually free from soot and low in sulphur oxides, which can harm the environment. A further bonus is our engines’ flexibility: their output can be combined at will, so that the most cost-effective and eco-friendly mode of propulsion can be chosen at all times.