Rolls-Royce Extends TBO Intervals of mtu Series 4000 Engines

The latest generation of mtu Series 4000 commercial marine engines for tugs, ferries and workboats will boast significantly extended engine running times of up to 96,000 hours between overhauls (TBO), according to manufacturer Rolls-Royce.

In general, all marine engines of the latest generation of mtu Series 4000 can now run for up to 25 years before they need a major overhaul, depending on the duration and intensity of use, Rolls-Royce said. That is seven years more between overhauls than previously recommended.

The new TBO intervals and maintenance schedules, which apply to new engines of the type 4000 M05, are made possible with the help of Big Data analysis of tens of thousands of real engine data sets, which enables Rolls-Royce to accurately predict engine and component running times, the company said. Rolls-Royce has a database of more than 50,000 data sets from 18,000 engines in service. On this basis, Rolls-Royce can predict exactly which components can be operated for how long, so that replacement only takes place when it is necessary. 

Denise Kurtulus, Vice President Global Marine at Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said, “Making the operation of commercial vessels more sustainable and climate-friendly is a key driver for us. That is why we are particularly pleased that our customers will be able to use their mtu engines in an even more resource-efficient way in the future. The longer intervals between major overhauls mean, among other things, that fewer parts have to be produced and the amount of travel among service personnel is significantly reduced, which is good for the climate. Lifecycle costs are reduced for our customers, helping them to compete in the tough marketplace.”

Rolls-Royce’s first step is to adjust the TBO and maintenance intervals of the latest generation of Series 4000 (M05) for commercial marine. This is valid for all load profiles. Specifically, this means that, for example, the TBO of a 16V 4000 M65L tugboat engine in the lowest load profile for this application (“Tug low”) will be doubled to 54,000 hours. The longest TBO of all engines in the series is offered by the mtu engine of the type M55R with a running time of 96,000 hours in the lowest load profile.

Rolls-Royce is also planning to adapt the TBO intervals for the M03 and M04 engine generations of Series 4000 in the near future.