325
November 2005

Three Generations and Sixty Years: Engine Dealer and Ship Repair Yard

The bow of the new vessel alongside at the Ketels facility.

Bernard Ketels’ grandfather Florimond sold his first Cummins Engine in 1946. After spending several decades on a river barge, that engine, a 115 HP HMR-6-M, has been bought back by the family. Today it occupies a prideful place along side a brand new Cummins KTA38 in the firm’s waterfront show room. The showroom is part of the office and shop complex that stretches alongside the Voorhaven harbour front in Ghent, Belgium to service visiting vessels. A floating dry dock can lift the stern of river barges for prop or rudder repairs.

In early November of 2005 a long stretch of the quay side at the Ketels facility was occupied by the 110x11.45-meter hull of the new river vessel Teskelly. The hull was built in China and transported to Belgium along with a number of others by ship. The hull was purchased by the owners and, with the exception of the electrical systems and woodwork finishing, the balance of the project work was contracted to Ketels. The wheelhouse was built in Belgium and installed at the Ketels facility.

Cummins representative Sander Snoek with Bernard Ketels.

The mechanical components have all been fitted by Ketels. These include a Cummins KTA19-G3 engine generating 685 HP at 1800 RPM located forward to power the four-channel Veth-Jet bowthruster www.veth-motoren.com that is capable of propelling the loaded ship at six kilometers per hour. This is a regulatory requirement relating to the fact that the main engine room, located aft, is protected by a Novec™ 1230 fire suppression system from Tyco Marine www.tycomarine.com that will shut down the main and isolate the engine room in the event of an engine room fire. The ship also has two Cummins powered 60 KV generator sets. The main engine is a 1700 HP Cummins KTA50-M2 turning 1810 m/m propeller through a Twindisc MG5506 marine gear with a 5.44:1 reduction.

The four-channel Veth-Jet bowthruster, powered by a Cummins KTA19
and is capable of propelling the loaded ship at six kilometers per hour.

As with most modern European river vessels, very low sound levels are maintained in the accommodation area. This is accomplished by a combination of soft mounting the engine and exhaust systems in addition to isolating the accommodation area from the engine room by mounting it on soft mounts and installing a gasket around the base. Combined with insulation the floating accommodation area is whisper quiet.

One of the soft mounted sound insulators for the accommodation
house. The wire strap provides an electrical ground.

With three generations installing Cummins marine engines over a 60-year period in Belgium, the Ketals family has earned an enviable reputation for quality and reliability. Prior to the Teskelly they delivered an 1200 HP 83-meter Cummins KTA38-M2-powered vessel. Following the Teskelly’s December delivery they will be starting on a 135-meter vessel powered by a pair of Cummins KTA38 mains.

A pair of Cummins engines representing nearly 60 years of evolution
in inland waterway power.

For further information please contact:

Bernard Ketels
Werkhuizen Fl. KETELS nv
CUMMINS MARINE DEALER
Voorhavenlaan, 84
B-9000 Gent
Belgium
Phone: +32/(0)9/255.58.00
Fax: +32/(0)9/251.69.84
E-mail: bernard@werkhuizen-ketals.be

Sander Snoek
Cummins Holland B.V.
PO box 520-3000 AM Dordrecht
Galvanistraat 35-3316 GH Drodrecht
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 (0) 78 6181 200
Fax: +31 (0) 78 6176 579
Mobile: +31 (0) 6 5129 9353
E-mail: sander.snoek@cummins.com

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