GE to Power Tuna Clipper

GE Transportation's marine business, in conjunction with its distributor Marinsa Ecuador S.A., announced it has delivered a GE 16-cylinder 7FDM diesel engine for installation aboard the Cap. Berny B tuna clipper. The vessel, owned by Berni Buehs and Sons, Manta, Ecuador, is being repowered from a dual-engine propulsion system to a single GE medium-speed diesel engine arrangement, GE reported today at Nor-Shipping 2005. "This is a milestone project because it marks the initial application of a GE diesel engine for a tuna boat," said John Manison, manager of GE Transportation's marine and stationary power business in Erie, Pa. According to Guenther A. Buehs, Sr., "The GE diesel was the best solution for this application over competitor's engine for several reasons, including decreased fuel and lube oil consumption and longer intervals between overhauls." Guenther A. Buehs, Sr. is the owner of International Canning Consultant, Gig Harbor, Wash., and is the United States representative for Berni Buehs and Sons. The 16-cylinder engine provides 4,100 horsepower and features an efficient Electronic Fuel Injection system, driven by GE's Powerstar(tm) Controller. The engine installed on this vessel was manufactured at GE's 440,000-square-foot Grove City, Pa. facility. Cap. Berny B is a 1,200-ton, 210-feet long vessel that was built in Spain by Luzuriaga in 1981. Repowering of the Capt. Berny B will begin in July 2005, and the vessel will operate out of Manta. For more than 30 years, GE has produced high-quality diesel engines that are of robust and reliable design for the marine and stationary power markets. GE is one of the world's largest manufacturers of medium-speed diesel engines. The GE 7FDM engine models are available in 8, 12 and 16 cylinder configurations, for power ranges from 1,403 bhp/1,004 kW to 4,500 bhp/3,355 kW. These four-stroke, turbo-charged and after-cooled medium-speed diesels are designed for the most demanding applications. A high-capacity turbocharger and efficient combustion system are integrated into GE's marine and stationary power diesel engines to offer superior fuel and lube oil efficiency, while meeting strict emissions levels. In fact, GE engines hold a variety of certifications, including Germanischer Lloyd, Central Commission for Navigation of the Rhine, MARPOL and EPA Tier 1. GE engines are currently EPA Tier 2 capable.