Conquest 60 Commercial Marine Engine Repower

From Ageing MAN Power to Modern Commercial Reliability

Commercial operators don’t have the luxury of downtime. When your vessel is part of your livelihood, reliability matters just as much as performance.

This 1997-built Conquest 60 sardine fishery vessel out of Albany, Western Australia had reached that point. With a heavy ship weight of approximately 32 tonnes and often more depending on load, the vessel needed an engine package capable of handling serious commercial work without compromise.

For years, the vessel was powered by a MAN D2842 marine engine. A mechanical V12 producing 1,000HP at 2,300rpm, the MAN had earned its reputation as a strong commercial engine. At 12,500 hours, however, the realities of age, reliability concerns, and increasing difficulty sourcing parts started becoming a major factor for the owner.

And with continued investment flowing into Albany’s sardine processing industry, demand on the vessel had only increased. The business needed dependable uptime to continue growing.

At that point, the decision became clear:

Stop throwing good money after bad and invest in long-term reliability.

The Original MAN D2842

The MAN D2842 was a classic heavy-duty mechanical marine engine:

• Pushrod V12 design
• Twin turbocharged
• Wet exhaust manifolds running down both sides
• 1,000HP @ 2,300rpm
• Approximately 3,700Nm of torque

They are genuinely good engines. But by modern standards, the design had become:

• Large – extremely wide
• Heavy
• Noisy
• Increasingly difficult to support long-term

For a commercial operator, that uncertainty becomes expensive.

Importantly, the repower also needed to avoid major vessel modifications that could potentially trigger additional AMSA requirements. That meant the replacement engine had to physically suit the existing hull and setup without creating unnecessary complications.

The Objective

This wasn’t simply about replacing horsepower numbers.

The Conquest needed:

• Strong commercial-grade torque
• Better fuel efficiency
• Reduced vibration and noise
• Improved long-term reliability
• Simpler servicing and maintenance
• Fast throttle response during trawling operations
• A future-proof commercial platform

Most importantly, this heavy commercial vessel needed displacement. Many modern alternatives in the market sit around the 13-litre range, but for a 32-tonne commercial fishery vessel, that simply wasn’t the right fit.

The replacement needed to be a serious engine.

The Solution: FPT C16 1000

The vessel was repowered with the FPT C16 1000 marine engine paired to the existing ZF 195 gearbox with a 2.1 ratio.

The FPT C16 delivers:

• 1,000HP @ 2,300rpm
• 15.9L displacement
• 3,550Nm of torque
• Common rail fuel injection technology
• High commercial duty rating

While horsepower remained the same as the outgoing MAN, the real difference came in how the power is delivered.

The common rail C16 provides:

• Faster engine response
• Cleaner combustion
• Smoother operation
• Lower fuel consumption
• Improved low RPM efficiency

For this vessel specifically, low RPM fuel consumption was critical. During trawling operations, the vessel spends significant time operating at lower engine speeds. Fuel savings at these RPM ranges create real commercial value over time — helping deliver a quicker return on investment for the owner.

Why the FPT C16 Worked So Well?

One of the biggest advantages of the FPT C16 is just how well thought-out the engine platform is. The cast four-bolt mounting system made installation straightforward without requiring major structural changes to the vessel.

Engine accessibility was another standout feature:

Front Side:

• Main hydraulic PTO
• Deck wash pump
• Power steering pump
• FPT plug-and-play start/stop control module

Port Side:

• Dual spin-on oil filters
• Oil dipstick
• Washable air filter

Starboard Side:

• Seawater pump
• Bronze impeller requiring reduced maintenance
• Intercooler
• Heat exchanger
• Fuel cooler
• Gearbox oil cooler

Rear:

• Twin Holset turbochargers

Every major service component is positioned logically and remains easy to access.

That is one of the standout features of the FPT range: The engines are designed to be worked on.

Don’t be afraid of electronics. The FPT C16 is an incredibly well-designed and well-planned electronic engine package that is straightforward to install, maintain, and support long-term.

Reusing Existing Systems

To minimise unnecessary vessel changes, several existing systems were retained.

The Conquest’s built-in twin fibreglass pong box exhaust system was reused, making it the best practical option for the hull design. The existing sea strainer system was also retained.

This approach helped simplify the repower while avoiding unnecessary redesign work.

The Results

The transformation was immediate.

According to the owner, the first thing noticed was just how much quieter the vessel became compared to the outgoing MAN setup.

Even more impressive was the lack of vibration throughout the entire rev range — despite the engine being rigid mounted. Throttle response and load recovery were also dramatically improved. The FPT C16 adapts quickly to changes in RPM and gear load with minimal RPM drop, exactly what’s needed in demanding commercial fishing operations.

Most importantly, the vessel now has:

• Renewed long-term reliability
• Modern fuel-efficient technology
• Improved operator comfort
• Better commercial usability
• Strong torque for heavy-duty work
• Ongoing supportability for years to come

For this Conquest 60, the repower wasn’t just about replacing an engine. It was about securing the future of the vessel and the business behind it.

New technology. Commercial-grade reliability. A new long-term partner for the vessel.