Rolls-Royce Equips German Customs Fleet with mtu Gas Engines
The first commissioned vessel is powered by four mtu Series 4000 gas engines and two controllable pitch propellers, reaching a max speed of 23 knots.
The German Customs Administration selected Rolls-Royce to supply 15 mtu 16V4000 gas engines for four newbuild customs vessels, satisfying a modernization, propulsion, and on-board power program for maritime transport in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Rolls-Royce also signed a long-term service agreement for 11 fleet vessels, ensuring reliable operation for its mtu engines.
The first commissioned, 67-meter vessel, dubbed the Rügen, is powered by four mtu engines, two controllable pitch propellers, electric motors, and two on-board power generators. It can operate at sea for several weeks in different modes: gas-electric, gas-mechanical, and booster. The booster mode allows the ship to reach 23 knots and activates all four main engines, electric engines, and on-board units—each primary engine generates 1,492-kW output. This vessel was constructed at the Fassmer Shipyard in Northern Germany and entered service in Stralsund.
“With the commissioning of the ‘Rügen’, we are setting an important milestone for the strengthening and, at the same time, sustainable modernization of our customs fleet,” said Dr. Armin Rolfink, President of Generalzolldirektion. “This customs vessel combines high performance with environmentally conscious technology, which will enable us to carry out our important customs duties at sea even more efficiently in the future.”
Rugen customs vessel; image credit: Rolls-Royce
Furthermore, three additional 55-meter customs vessels are under construction at NVL’s Peene-Werft shipyard in Wolgast, Germany. Each vessel will be equipped with three upgraded 16V4000 engines powering a fixed-pitch propeller. The engines’ power output has been raised by 10% to 1,641 kW, increasing max speed to 26 knots.
mtu Engines
The advantages of mtu gas engines include:
- Low exhaust, below IMO III guidelines without exhaust gas aftertreatment
- Low noise emissions
- Particulate mass below detection limit and low NOx emissions
- High dynamic performance
- Double-walled gas system to allow diesel-drive engine room design
“We congratulate the German customs authorities on the commissioning of their new operational ship “Rügen” and the three other new ships,” said Denise Kurtulus, Senior Vice President Global Marine at Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “Reliability, user-friendly operation, dynamic engine performance, and low emissions play a major role in the demanding tasks of the coast guard. These advantages of mtu gas engines help us to further expand our market share in our strategic marine business.”
More Rolls-Royce News
In March, the European Commission in Luxembourg contracted Rolls-Royce to supply two mtu Series 4000 generator sets (gensets) to provide emergency backup power at the Jean Monnet 2 building complex, which were installed by Energolux in early October 2024. Each DS2750 genset has a maximum output of 2,640 kVA, using diesel fuel to deliver electrical power during grid outage events.
The delivery of mtu-brand emergency gensets contributes to the European Union’s construction project, which is expected to be finalized in 2025. These backup power generators ensure that all essential and safety-related equipment inside the buildings, as well as technical systems, can operate uninterrupted in the event of an outage. Jean Monnet 2 is intended to connect several of the European Commission’s currently dispersed offices, and will consist of a welcome pavilion, a 20-floor tower, and a lower, flat-roofed building.
