Volvo Penta just announced that it’s testing a new, more powerful IPS (Inboard Propulsion System) for larger vessels from 82 to 180 feet with a top speed from 12 to 40 knots.
Volvo calls the new system an IPS professional platform, or IPS 40, and it’s the most powerful IPS yet. The IPS 40 is designed to work with Volvo’s 800-hp D13 engines. The platform can be installed as twin, triple, or quad applications, meaning it can work on vessels with from four to eight engines.
Volvo says the IPS 40 “is a true piece of state-of-the-art engineering.” It is testing the new platform on its own high-speed passenger ferry near its test facility in Gothenburg, Sweden, to measure its durability and performance.
The IPS 40, according to Volvo, delivers a 30 percent fuel savings, compared to a traditional inboard/shaft system, and it has fewer emissions. It also has a new efficiency mode, so it can automatically start and stop individual engines based on the power needed in any given situation, optimizing fuel consumption and controlling engine running hours.
“The new Volvo IPS is a powerful platform that will provide the ultimate helm-to-propeller experience,” said Johan Inden, the president of Volvo’s marine business. Read more:
