Rolls-Royce MTU Engines To Equip Six Turkish SAR Vessels

Rolls-Royce has won a contract to provide MTU diesel engines for the Turkish coast guard's six new search-and-rescue vessels.

The ships that are being constructed by Damen Shipyards, will be equipped with two 8-cylinder series 2000 engines. The boats will be assisting rescue migrants from crisis areas along the country's coast, the company said in a statement Saturday.

The boats are designed to be self-righting in the event they capsize, the engine manufacturing company announced Thursday.

The MTU engines to be supplied by Rolls-Royce are made to continue operating if the vessels complete a full vertical rotation at sea.

"We have designed our engines specifically for such difficult operational conditions, including the unlikely event of capsizing," Rolls-Royce's Knut Müller, Head of the Marine and Government Business Division at MTU said.

"They are equipped with a special kit, which ensures that there is sufficient oil available to coat the engine parts with a film of lubricant." Muller added. The engines will allow the vessels to reach a top speed of 33 knots.

Turkey is expecting all of the boats to be delivered by the end of 2017. The European Union is providing financial support for the effort.