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ABB turbochargers designed to save bunker costs are powering the main engines and auxiliary engines of the largest containership ever built in China - the 20,000-TEU Cosco Shipping Taurus, which was launched earlier this month.

Following the ship's completion by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd (SWS), a further 10 vessels are to built for Cosco Shipping Lines applying the same ABB turbocharger configuration.

Each of the main engines will be equipped with three A180-L units, which ABB claims is "one of the world's most efficient turbochargers". The two-stroke turbocharger is designed to provide fuel economy for large, marine diesel engines.

To meet the need for optimizing fuel costs across fleets in the container shipping market, ABB says the A180-L turbocharger increases efficiency and operational flexibility, as well as enabling operators to comply with IMO Tier II emissions regulations whilst lowering fuel consumption.

On board the new ship and its sister vessels, the four auxiliary engines will each be fitted with a four-stroke TPL67-C turbocharger. To date, ABB says this has been the most in-demand of all its turbochargers, due to its "well-proven reliability that is crucial for the role of auxiliary engines".

Oliver Riemenschneider, managing director, ABB Turbocharging, remarked: "ABB turbochargers have for a long-time been operated onboard its [Cosco Shipping's] fleets, also the maintenance of more than 300 of these units is managed under ABB service agreements. We look forward to the continuation of this relationship as we deliver our products to power the engines of these new, high capacity ships."

Following the unveiling of the 'Made in China' strategy by the China State Council in 2015, the Ministry of Industry & Information Technology (MIIT) last year published 'The Action Plan for Improving the Marine Equipment Industry's Capability (2016-2020)'. This outlined the key tasks required to develop China into a shipping and ship-building powerhouse. ABB said the construction of these 11 new containerships in China "represents continuing progress towards this significant goal".

Allan QingZhou Wang, Head of ABB Turbocharging China, noted: "This addition in tonnage to the world containership market underlines the high potential to achieve this goal of building China into a great power of shipping and shipbuilding in line with the MIIT ambition. At the same time, ABB is recognizing and responding to market demand across Asia, by strengthening our foothold in China."

The Cosco Shipping Taurus is 400 meters long, with a width of 58.6 meters. The ship is to operate along routes between Asia and Europe.