Image credit: Rolls-Royce

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Rolls-Royce is to supply more of its MTU engines to Majestic Ferry after receiving a follow-on order from the Singapore-based fast ferry operator.

Designed by Incat Crowther, a total of seven new fast ferries are being built at PT Cahaya shipyard in Batam, Indonesia over the next two years. Rolls-Royce is to supply 14 MTU engines for them by 2019, with each of the double-hulled vessels to be powered by two MTU 16V 2000 M72 units.

Commenting on the key reasons for selecting Rolls-Royce, Max Tan, managing director at Majestic Ferry, said: "A key criterion for our fleet is the fuel efficiency of our engines. They should also have long maintenance intervals and be powerful and reliable."

"After our initial contact with Majestic in 2016, we worked with them to produce a specification package with the optimum features for large fast ferries. Our 16V 2000 M72, with its 1,440 kW power output, offered the ideal starting point," remarked Chew Xiang Yu, a member of MTU Asia's marine sales staff.

Back in 2016 and 2017, MTU had delivered a total of six MTU Series 2000 engines for the operator's new Majestic fleet. The first 39-meter, twin-hulled ferry, Majestic Dream, went into service last summer, followed by the Majestic Pride in the autumn. The third vessel, Majestic Faith, is set to join them from April 2018 onwards.

Indonesian shipbuilder PT Cahaya is now to build seven more 39-metre catamarans, each with a capacity of 317 passengers.

Majestic Ferry's approach is to acquire larger ferries in order to be able to accommodate growing passenger numbers.

Traveling at around 34.5 knots, the ferries transport passengers between Singapore harbor and the Indonesian island of Batam.