MAN wins six-ship engine order and sees “green shoots”

Tropical, which operates regular services between Canada, Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean, recently declared several newbuilding options in China and now has four 1,100 TEU Carib-class vessels and two small Mini Express-class ships on order at Huangpu Wenchong in Guangzhou. The vessels will be delivered from the fourth quarter of this year through 2018.
The engine builder will supply MAN B&W 6S60ME-C8.5 main engines for the four larger vessels, together with TCA66-21 turbochargers and selective catalytic reduction installations to ensure IMO Tier III compliance. Other components to be supplied by MAN will include three MAN 6L23/30 Holeby gensets with TCR14 turbochargers, and VBS1550-5 Mk5 controllable pitch propellers which have five blades and are combined with the MAN Alpha rudder-bulb concept. For the two small ships, the company will provide MAN 27/38 engines with TCR turbochargers.
Commenting on the contract, the company’s vice president for Promotion & Sales, Two-Stroke Business, Bjarne Foldager, noted the challenging nature of the marine market today. “But,” he said, “in winning orders like this, we see some green shoots of recovery.”
Tropical operates a 15-ship fleet and is one of three shipping companies within the Saltchuk group which also owns domestic shipping and logistics operator TOTE Maritime and tug and barge operator Foss Maritime.