MAN Diesel Ltd a leading manufacturer of medium speed diesel, heavy fuel, dual fuel and spark ignition gas engines will display an RK280 cylinder line at Pacific 2002 in Sydney.

The marine industry has traditionally been a driving force for engine development due to the continuing demand for faster and heavier payload vessels. Market demands including higher power, reduction of ownership costs and greater environmental friendliness have been the main incentives behind the development of the most powerful 1000 r/min engine in the world - the RK280.

The RK280 is a natural progression of the company’s highly successful product range developed since the introduction of the original RK diesel engine in 1934. The current series of RK215 and RK270 engines are producing over 2 million kW of power in over fifty countries. RK270 engines have been world leaders in the propulsion of high-speed passenger/ vehicle ferries since their inception in 1990 and now power some 31 fast ferries world wide.

MAN Diesel engines are in service with 50 navies and coastal defences world wide and in the UK Royal Navy our engines are fitted in all classes of fighting ships. VP185s are also very successful as patrol craft propulsion engines and are in service with the US Navy, US Coastguard, Bangladesh navy, Royal Thai navy and the Taiwanese marine Police.

Charles Foulkes, Senior Vice President, says "the RK280 together with the future investment will make MAN Diesel Ltd the 'Supplier of Choice' for medium and high speed engines."