Page 28: of Marine News Magazine (March 2017)

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PROPULSION

Go East,

Young Man,

Go East

Scania’s market reach grows with a key workboat contract.

The reasons why are easy enough to see.

By Joseph Keefe hen Scania announced its recent deal with Po- Coast. What’s important to us is this is new construction, tomac Riverboat Company, part of the Enter- not repowers. We love doing repowers but we’ve been try- tainment Cruises family, to deliver eight, EPA ing to show off our ability to support the builders, the

W

Tier 3, 500 HP DI13-liter engines in 2017 to power its naval architects and the operators. We’ve had good suc- high-speed, low-wake water taxis in Washington, DC, it cess with our distributors and setting up dealers.” As it marked the beginning of what is so far a good year for turns out, that’s exactly what tipped the scales for Scania the San Antonio-based engine manufacturer. The 88-foot on their latest sale.

vessels will carry 149 passengers and will be built by Loui- Potomac Riverboat Company and Entertainment siana-based Metal Shark, to speci? cations from BMT De- Cruises run a combined ? eet of 38 boats in a wide range of signers and Planners. cities, including New York, Chicago and Boston, offering

The deal not only represents a signi? cant number of indi- dining cruises, sightseeing tours, private charters and water vidual engines, but more importantly for Scania, it cements taxi services. “We chose Scania USA to provide the main the ? rm’s toehold in the red hot domestic ferry sector. To- propulsion package for the new water taxis for a variety day, as much as 40 percent of Scania’s North American ma- of reasons,” said Bob Lawler, Entertainment Cruises VP rine engine sales are made into the ? sheries markets. Those Marine Operations. “Scania is able to meet our size, horse- markets, like the ferry sector, are also seeing boom times. power and weight requirements in a very fuel ef? cient and

Alberto Alcalá, Scania’s Sales Manager for Marine Products, affordable package, which combined with Scania’s out- told MarineNews in February, “A lot of people are making standing customer service we feel we have the perfect part- investments into new boats and repower jobs [in the ? sher- ner for this project.” ies sector]. Some estimates up in the northeast put the wait Alcalá added for emphasis, “They did their due dili- to build a hull now up to two years.” gence, research and talked to a lot of builders, architects

As for Scania’s market penetration, Alcalá explained, and operators to learn more about Scania. When they un- “East Coast sales – we’ve had others but in the passenger derstood what we could and would provide in help to ev- vessel market, we’ve had a lot more success on the West eryone in the chain, that’s when they pulled the trigger.”

March 2017

MN 28