The world’s first LNG tug – Borgo– has just been launched in Turkey; a groundbreaking achievement that might lead ship owners to select yards in Turkey to build different type LNG powered vessels in the future, Erkut Aslanoğlu Rolls-Royce General Sales Manager, responsible for Merchant, Marine Services and Naval Sales, has said.
Rolls-Royce has been concentration on the integration of LNG fuelled engines for marine applications for over seven years. Rolls-Royce Bergen gas engines are now in operation powering platform supply vessels, double ended ferries, cargo vessels and most recently tugs including the tug Borgø, built by Sanmar in Turkey and christened in October. In an interview with MarineDeal News, Aslanoğlu noted that the new vessels can become an opportunity for Turkish yards. He said: “Turkey has the opportunity to become one of the leading countries in LNG powered solutions with a LNG terminal very close to Istanbul, which is one of the largest populated cities in the world. LNG powered solutions bring much reduced emissions and many Turkish owners will be monitoring developments in this market closely. In light of this there is a real possibility that we will start to see LNG powered vessels sailing in Turkish waters. Reducing environmental impact is an important aim throughout the industry and means that we must continue to look at low emission, environmentally sustainable power and propulsion systems. This may be a driver for the uptake of LNG for use in the Sea of Marmara.”
Aslanoğlu noted that although Rolls-Royce’s customers in Turkey are mainly in the merchant and naval sectors, the company also has a growing number of customers in the offshore and fishing markets.
He stated that Rolls-Royce continues to make significant investment in technologies that address the need for more efficient and environmentally sustainable power and propulsion systems. The company’s innovative vessel designs match gas propulsion to low-drag hull designs and energy saving systems, which is what to propulsion system contracts for the world’s first LNG powered tug, Aslanoğlu said. “This successful design and systems integration approach was recently validated with an order from NorLines for two award-winning NVC 405 design short sea roro vessels,” he added.
Rolls-Royce’s roots in the marine industry go back as far as 1831 and the marine segment is now the second biggest and fastest growing business within Rolls-Royce. “Around one fifth of our revenue is from the marine sector,” Aslanoğlu explained. Rolls-Royce also has a long history in the Turkish market through distributors. Nearly all Rolls-Royce marine products are sold in Turkey. In 2009, the company established a limited company in Turkey, Aslanoğlu said. “Rolls-Royce places the customer at the heart of the organization and this has ensured that we have and maintain good working relationships with people throughout the industry.”
About Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce is a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, and has established a strong position in global markets – civil aerospace, defense aerospace, marine and energy. The company has a broad customer base comprising more than 300 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 4,000 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in more than 80 countries.
The annual underlying revenue for Rolls-Royce was £12.2 billion in 2012. The firm and announced order book stood at £69.2 billion as of June 30. Rolls-Royce employs over 45,000 people in over 50 countries. Over 14,000 of these employees are engineers. In 2012, Rolls-Royce invested £919 million on research and development, two thirds of which had the objective of further improving the environmental performance of its products, in particular reducing emissions. Rolls-Royce is also a leading international supplier of equipment, integrated systems solutions and life support services for the marine industry. It has manufacturing facilities in eight countries, which employ 6,500 worldwide. The company has support centers in 28 countries, through which it supports its customers.
Rolls-Royce has great experience in ship, propulsion and power systems design. It has designed more than 700 ships over the last three decades. In additional to diesel and gas engines, propellers and shaftlines, the company also manufactures azimuth thrusters, reduction gears, waterjets, stabilizers, steering gear, rudders and distribution and automation systems.
