Rolls-Royce has expanded its ‘From Bridge to Propeller’ range with the launch of the mtu 2222hp 12V2000Z engine at Cannes Yachting Festival.
The Bridge to Propeller concept consists of the components bridge, engine and POD, with Rolls Royce also introducing a new mtu NautIQ Bridge for yachts between 30 and 40 metres in length.
The new 12-cylinder engine is suitable for yachts and other fast vessels and is 220hp (162kW) more powerful than its predecessor.
To achieve the new peak values, the turbochargers have been further developed, the crankcase and cylinder heads have been improved, and new pistons have been developed.
Approved for HVO fuel
Like all mtu yacht engines, the 12V2000 M96Z is approved for operation with HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil) sustainable fuel.
IMO II and EPA Tier 3 recreational certifications are possible.
“With this hydrogenated vegetable oil, a CO2 reduction of up to 90% is already possible,” explained Denise Kurtulus, senior vice president global marine at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.
“We are convinced that there is no alternative to the combustion engine in the yacht market in the foreseeable future if performance and range requirements are to be met.”
He added: “The fuel used is the alternative, and that is currently HVO, which is now available in many ports.
Methanol will be a viable option
“Many yacht captains and owners have already had excellent experiences with HVO. We have tested it extensively on our test benches and can confirm that mtu engines can run on it without any problems.”
And he explained that in the long term methanol will be a viable option for propulsion with Rolls-Royce continuing to work on the development of a methanol engine.
“When green methanol is available as an alternative fuel in the required volume, we will have the right engine for it,” he said.
“The market for such engines is currently limited to pilot applications.”
Integration
The new mtu NautIQ Bridge platform is tailored to the requirements of series-produced yachts and builds on the experience gained by Team Italia Marine, which was acquired by Rolls-Royce two years ago, in equipping large superyachts.
It integrates a range of instruments from monitoring the powertrain to navigation, weather forecasting and radio technology to the alarm system.
“The mtu NautIQ Bridge not only represents the state of the art in technology, but is also designed to allow the integration of new functions such as artificial intelligence systems,” said Christian Paolini, managing director and sales manager at Team Italia Marine.
“This means that a yacht is already fit for the future of yacht control and automation.”
