23rd July 2010 18:00 GMT
The most environmentally friendly military vessel ever made will be delivered to the US Navy next week at the Port of San Diego.
The Range Training Support Craft (RTSC-110) torpedo weapon retrieval boat runs on 100% biofuel, has 100% shorepower capability, and is a zero discharge vessel.
The vessel was built by Marine Group Boat Works and is the first of a new class of boat for the US Navy.
It has been fitted with twin Caterpillar engines with 1,800 horsepower that have the ability to run on 100% biodiesel, as well as a water cooled exhaust that maintains the particulate matter (PM) of the exhaust to a bare minimum to meet the most stringent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier III environmental regulations.
“The biodiesel system is operated on this boat by circulating the fuel constantly between the boats two 5,000 gallon fuel tanks,” said Todd Roberts from Marine Group Boat Works.
“It circulates it, filters it, and has the capability of moving 10,000 gallons of fuel every 24 hours so it’s a very slow constant circulation process to make sure the fuel is clean and ready for use,” Roberts added,
The vessel also has the cold ironing capability to run 100% of the ship’s functions without using the generator.
“That means that whenever this boat is at home there will be a zero discharge to the environment,” commented Roberts.
The RTSC is also a zero discharge vessel, which means the boat does not have the capability of pumping toxins overboard.
The vessel also features a rugged, all-aluminium hull made to endure extreme physical conditions and a Seakeeper gyro stabilising system designed to stabilise the craft in rough weather or zero speed. All the material for the boat was bought from local vendors in San Diego.
The RTSC has been described as a multi-mission boat with the ability to launch and recover objects, including torpedoes, as well as intercept small high-speed craft, as well as aerial targets, and test weapons.
The RTSC-110 is the first out of a three-boat contract between the South Bay yacht facility and the Navy.