Page 10: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 2003)

Investment in Design

By David Tinsley, technical editor

As the culmination of nearly 12 years' research and development work, and a pointer to the direction of two-stroke diesel propulsion technology. MAN B&W has rolled-out its first purpose-built, electronically-controlled low- speed engine. Produced at the group's versatile

Frederikshavn plant in Denmark, the camshaft- free 7S50ME-C engine is claimed to offer a range of operating, cost and environmental ben- efits, and will be fitted in a 37.500-dwt new- build for Norwegian chemtanker specialist

Odfjell.

Odtjell's bold decision to nominate the ME concept, and so dispense with conventional con- trol arrangements based on camshaft drive, fol- lows its experience with a modern tanker pow- ered by a two-stroke 6L60MC engine adapted for full electronic command in November 2000.

The 14.160-bhp installation in the 37,000-dwt

Bow Cecil has continued to be run in full elec- tronic mode across the ship's entire trading pro- file, having now completed 10,000 service hours in 6L60ME format. by David Tinsley, technical editor

The operating flexibility and reliability achieved to date with the prime mover in Bow

Cecil has vindicated the owner's early receptivi- ty to the technology, and also inspired confi- dence in the concept across a broader front, such that Odtjell's move has been followed by com- mitments from other fleet operators to ME engines for newbuild projects.

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