Volvo Penta is delivering diesel engines to newly built tourist boats that will traffic one of China’s extensive inland lake system. The environmental features of the engines were decisive in the Chinese authorities’ selection of supplier.
When the Chinese authorities a while ago decided to build a number of new passenger boats for traffic on the Thousand Island Lake – one of China’s many large inland lake systems – a careful environmental valuation was made of a number of domestic and foreign diesel engine manufacturers.
The lake system, located about 500 kilometers southwest of Shanghai, is an area of natural beauty, with heavy tourism and passenger traffic. It is also an important freshwater reserve.
Moreover, the quality of the water in the lake system is considered to be very high. To be able to safeguard this high quality and concurrently deal with rising tourism, the Chinese authorities have been highly intent upon finding the most environmentally friendly engine alternative for the new boats.
The choice fell to Volvo Penta and the new medium-heavy diesel engine range for commercial vessels that Volvo introduced recently in China. The emission levels for these 5- and 7-liter engines are 4 times lower than many of the domestic engine alternatives!
The first boats, equipped with 129-kW Volvo Penta D7A T engines, were delivered in mid-April this year.
“The need for environmentally sound sea transports in China will increase in the years immediately ahead and Volvo Penta’s products are an excellent fit. Overall, Volvo as a company has a highly favorable environmental reputation in China and this is a strength factor in our continuing efforts in the country,” says Anders Bevréus, Volvo Penta’s Asia manager.
Volvo Penta’s engine sales in China increased dramatically in the first quarter of 2004. Most of the sales are industrial engines, however, to diesel-powered generating sets. Due to the power shortage in China, demand for such units is very strong.
Technical data, boats:
Length: 30 meter
Beam: 6.8 meters
Displacement: 80 tons
Load: 80 passengers
Speed: 10 knots
Technical data, engines
Cylinder volume: 7 liters
No. of cylinders 6
RPM: 2,300
Output: 129 kW
Weight: Approx. 700 kg
May 12, 2004
For further information, please contact Ann-Charlotte Emegård, AB Volvo Penta,
Phone: +46 31 66 84 18, E-mail: ann-charlotte.emegard@volvo.com