Rolls-Royce - serving South East Asia

Rolls-Royce is pursuing growth in the South East Asian marine market - developing the same strategy that has made it a market leader in aerospace.

Tuesday, 8 May 2001

Rolls-Royce is pursuing growth in the South East Asian marine market - developing the same strategy that has made it a market leader in aerospace.

The company has an established reputation in the marine sector, providing products and services to 44 navies worldwide. More than 20,000 commercial and naval vessels use Rolls-Royce equipment.

The company sees South East Asia as a key hub market of the future. It estimates 470 frigates, offshore patrol craft, fast attack ships and harbour patrol vessels will be required in the Pacific Rim in the next ten years. The company wants to develop its already significant presence in the region, through local partnerships that combine Rolls-Royce expertise with local market knowledge.

This strategy has already been successful in the aerospace sector, where Rolls-Royce has established two engine repair and overhaul joint ventures in Singapore and one in Hong Kong. Rolls-Royce Trent engines power the entire fleet of Singapore Airlines' Boeing 777, Airbus A380 and A340-500 aircraft.

In the Pacific Rim's naval marine sector, Rolls-Royce provides power for navies in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and Malaysia and the Phillippines.

As well as its marine office in Singapore, Rolls-Royce has also recently opened new repair and maintenance facilities at Busan, Korea, next to a commercial port which is scheduled to enter service in 2003.

Saul Lanyado, Rolls-Royce President - Marine, said: "We are constantly seeking ways to partner in this region, offering naval marine customers a local service which incorporates our knowledge-base and expertise, particularly in propulsion systems."

Since the acquisition of Vickers plc in 1999, Rolls-Royce marine capabilities have grown significantly and the company now offers a wide ranging portfolio, including gas turbines, propellers, podded propulsors, waterjets, stabilizers, steering gear and deck handling equipment.

For large ship projects, Rolls-Royce offers the advanced cycle WR-21 marine gas turbine. The WR-21 is currently being qualified for US Navy applications in conjunction with the Royal Navy and French Navy at the DCN Indret facility, near Nantes, in France.

The 25-megawatt engine can achieve fuel efficiencies comparable with diesel systems but with the advantages of size and reduced maintenance offered by gas turbines. The compact size and outstanding fuel efficiency of the WR-21 make it the ideal candidate for a range of commercial and naval applications. It uses proven technology and components from the Rolls-Royce RB211 and Trent engines at its core, making it a modular engine for ease of maintenance and reduced through life costs.

In March, Northrop Grumman and Rolls-Royce plc were awarded a contract worth approximately £84 million by prime contractor BAE SYSTEMS to supply 12 WR-21 marine gas turbine packages for the first six ships of a new fleet of air defence destroyers for the United Kingdom's Royal Navy.

Northrop Grumman Marine Systems business, based in Sunnyvale, California, United States, is prime contractor for the WR-21 engine programme, with overall responsibility for engineering and systems integration. Rolls-Royce is designing and developing the gas generator and power turbine.

For large fast ship transportation projects Rolls-Royce offers a marine version of the Trent aero engine which has been such a success in South East Asia.

The marine Trent has been selected as the power plant for the FastShip project. Five Trents will power the new 265 metre super-fast transatlantic cargo vessels. The Trent takes aero-derived gas turbines above 50MW class for the first time. It is particularly well suited for the next generation of large fast ferries and very large naval platforms.

Smaller gas turbines are also available for fast corvettes and attack craft.

The Rolls-Royce product range also includes:

    * Water jets - the Kamewa range, from 90kW to 50MW, covers vessel types from pilot launches and patrol craft to systems for the fastest commercial ferries and freighters. Kamewa 325 water jets, the largest in world, will be used on FastShip.
    * Pods - The commercially proven Mermaid® electric pod propulsion system, at 5-25MW, is an attractive option for naval vessels.
    * Stabilisers and steering gear - Rolls-Royce fixed fin stabilisers are standard on FFG7 class frigates. The company also offers Brown Brothers non-retractable stabilizers for naval vessels in ranges from 0.85m©˜ to 16.5m©˜ Steering gear covers all vessel types.
    * Replenishment at sea systems - Rolls-Royce offers a range of automated, electrically-powered replenishment and refuelling at sea systems consistent with the all-electric ship concept.
    * Syncrolift®shiplift systems, two of which are in operation with Singapore Technologies Marine (STM). More than 220 installations are in service in 66 countries.