Ship & Boat International: eNews October 2018
Singaporean boatbuilder Penguin International Limited has announced that it is to equip a number of its patrol and crew transfer vessel newbuilds with Royston Diesel Power’s enginei brand of electronic fuel management systems, to enable the operators of these vessels to keep an eye on fuel consumption rates whilst maintaining a watch on coastal security.
It is hoped that the installation of these systems will grant these vessels an extra competitive edge, in reducing overheads related to fuel and in minimising emissions when operating in environmentally sensitive areas.
The contract will see Royston provide a total of 16 enginei units to Penguin. Eight of these will be installed aboard Penguin’s aluminium Flex-42X multi-role crewboats (pictured, right), which measure 42m (loa) x 8m (moulded) and are designed to draw 1.6m and carry up to 80 passengers at speeds of up to 30knots. Penguin will primarily charter these boats within South East Asia.
The remaining eight systems will be fitted on newbuilds in Penguin’s Flex Fighter class of armoured security vessels, which have been developed to combat piracy off the coast of Nigeria. Each Flex Fighter measures 40m x 7.6m and has a moulded depth of 3.65m, a loaded draught of 1.89m and the capacity to carry up to 12 security personnel and 23 passengers. Intended to take the fight to pirate craft, the Flex Fighter is powered by three Caterpillar 32 ACERT main engines, rated 1,081kW apiece and enabling speeds of up to 28knots.
At time of going to press, Royston says that the first four enginei installations have been completed at Penguin, which is establishing itself as a prominent constructor of patrol boats and workboats within the Asia-Pacific region (see Ship & Boat International March/April 2016, pages 60-62). The remainder of the installations should be completed by the end of 2018.
The enginei units work by deploying sensors which monitor the rate of engine fuel consumption and then contrast this info with data related to vessel GPS, voyage details and conditions and current operational mode. This combined data is then relayed to the bridge (or to monitors elsewhere on the vessel, such as the engine room, depending on the customer’s requirements) so that the master can assess the situation and take action, if deemed necessary, to reduce fuel consumption – by slowing down in certain areas or sea conditions, for example.
