MIAMI, Florida - GE Marine & Industrial Engines (M&I) exhibited its 'LM' line of aeroderivative marine gas turbines for applications in the cruise shipping and fast ferry industries at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Conference.

M&I offers a complete line of aeroderivative gas turbines that are appropriate for various marine applications:

• LM2500: This gas turbine is M&I's most experienced engine, with more than 1,500 in service having logged more than 22 million operating hours. It is ideal for the modern cruise ship which has high power requirements for propulsion and hotel loads. The LM2500 is rated at up to 33,600 shaft horsepower (shp) for marine service, with a simple cycle thermal efficiency in excess of 37%. In a total energy system, up to 80% of the available energy in the fuel is used.
• LM2500+: This 39,000-shp machine has a thermal efficiency of 39%, and offers 25% more power than the LM2500 while maintaining the industry-setting standards of the LM2500 for reliability and availability. Six production LM2500+s were shipped in 1996, and to date a total of 33 have been shipped or ordered.
• LM5000: At more than 38% simple cycle thermal efficiency, this engine provides up to 55,000 shp. It incorporates many of the same materials and proven design features of the successful LM2500 gas turbine. The LM5000 is ideally fitted for combined cycle and cogeneration power systems, and provides power for offshore oil platforms in the British sector of the North Sea.
• LM1600: This engine provides up to 20,000 shp at 37% thermal efficiency. It has been used in industrial applications since 1988, and LM1600 marine propulsion modules are available. This engine is used on several fast ferries and high-speed vessels.
• LM500: As the smallest aeroderivative available from M&I, the LM500 offers a key benefit -- its weight. It's 1,990 pounds compared with 24,000 pounds for a diesel engine of comparable power output helps enhance the speed and range capabilities of vessels it powers. This high-performance gas turbine has a 31% thermal efficiency which is outstanding for engines in the 5,000-6,000 shp range.

Commercial Success

M&I's aeroderivative gas turbines have a proven record of success in various commercial marine applications. In fact, what follows are several examples of recent fast ferry programs that have selected M&I's aeroderivative gas turbines as the basis for the propulsion system:

• Kvaerner Energy of Oslo, Norway configured four LM1600 gas turbines into propulsion system packages for two Danyard-built SEAJET 250 passenger/car fast ferries. Each SEAJET vessel uses two LM1600s for this semi-swath fast ferry owned by the Danish operator, Mols-Linien.
• GE and Kvaerner Energy cooperated on the two Foilcat hydrofoils built by Kvaerner Fjellstrand for Hong Kong's Far East Hydrofoil. Each Foilcat uses two GE LM500 propulsion system packages, with a total power output of approximately 8,800 kW.
• Kvaerner Energy also supplied propulsion system packages for the three HSS 1500- class fast ferries built for the Swedish line, Stena AB. Each vessel uses two LM1600s and two LM2500 gas turbines, with a total power output each of 68,000 kW.

M&I has sold more than 2,065 aeroderivative gas turbines worldwide. The engines are used in 52 ship programs for 24 navies, powering more than 350 ships worldwide. Nearly 40 engines have been sold for 20 vessels in fast ferry and two yacht programs.

For industrial applications, more than 990 units are in service, with 200+ users in more than 50 countries worldwide. Almost 500 gas turbines are used for pipeline compression and offshore platforms, and roughly 531 units are used for power generation and cogeneration applications.

GE M&I is part of GE Aircraft Engines and is headquartered in Evendale. M&I is the world's largest designer, developer and manufacturer of aeroderivative gas turbines for a variety of power generation, gas compression and commercial and military marine propulsion applications.