By
Rebecca Gibson |
Caterpillar Marine and Cat Dealer Pon Power are to provide the first Cat 3512C marine generator sets with Dynamic Gas Blending (DGB) to power Assessoria Transporte Aquaviaro fast ferries in Brazil.
Designed to operate during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the seven aluminium-hulled fast ferries will be fitted with a total of 28 Cat generator sets. In total, 14 Cat 3512 generator sets and 14 Cat 9 generator sets will provide prime and auxiliary power, with each 3512 generator set will provide 1550 eKW at 60 Hz of rated power. One ferry will be equipped with the new Cat marine dual fuel solution and be powered by compressed natural gas. The remaining six ferries will be constructed with the option to readily retrofit the engine room to include the DGB kits in the future.
“We’re pleased to unveil our first Cat Marine 3500 dual fuel solutions with DGB for such a significant global event,” said Chris Chenette, Caterpillar Marine product value manager. “Assessoria Transporte Aquaviaro will be not only be able to optimise the efficiency of its vessels powered by Cat dual fuel solutions, but also operate on the waters with the confidence and product support you can only get from Caterpillar.”
Developed by Coco Yachts Holland from the Netherlands and built by Afai Southern Shipyards in China, the ferries will range from 5-85 metres and will feature diesel electric propulsion (DEP) with azimuth thrusters and identical engine rooms. The Cat power solutions will be shipped to the yard in December 2014.
Manufactured in Lafayette, Indiana, the Cat 3512 DGB generator set features a low-pressure gas system with a 70% maximum gas substitution rate across a wide load range. The IMO II-compliant generator sets operate with diesel-like rated power and transient response, while maintaining an overhaul life similar to a diesel engine. Operators can achieve significant fuel savings due to the stellar load factor and substitution rate.
“The new Cat Marine dual fuel solution leverages the proven durability of the 3500 diesel engine while offering customers enhanced fuel flexibility and power redundancy to run diesel or gas,” Jason Spear, Caterpillar Marine product definition engineer. “Furthermore the DGB technology is integrated into the diesel injection system to ensure combustion is optimised as a factory-supported solution.”