Dizzy heights: the latest Kilimanjaro powers into service

With twin 4,000 hp Cummins QSK95 engines punching Kilimanjaro VIII to a top speed of 37 knots, sea trials of the new Australian-built 53-metre passenger ferry were successfully completed and the vessel sent on its way Tanzania in Africa where it is now in service.

The eighth member of the Kilimanjaro family – like all previous seven Cummins-powered Kilimanjaro vessels – was built by Richardson Devine Marine (RDM), the world-renowned Australian shipbuilder based in Hobart, Tasmania.

The delivery of Kilimanjaro VIII to Azam Marine reaffirms the company’s standing as Tanzania’s leading passenger ferry service.

With a 650-passenger capacity, the 53-metre, 8,000 hp Kilimanjaro VIII is the second Kilimanjaro to be propelled by twin Cummins QSK95 engines.

The latest vessel is longer and wider than the 2019-delivered Kilimanjaro VII and also has greater passenger capacity, while the 95-litre, V16 Cummins engines have been upped from 3,600 hp to 4,000 hp at 1700-1800 rpm.

Performance targets for the sea trials were a service speed of 34 knots and a top speed of 37 knots.

Rendimiento impresionante

"Design and build quality are trademarks of the Kilimanjaro family, and Kilimanjaro VIII is another impressive step in the evolution of the fast passenger ferry," said RDM co-founder Ron Devine. "The Cummins QSK95 has met the high expectations of the owners, delivering impressive performance and reliability."

The Kilimanjaro fleet, named after Africa’s tallest mountain, operates between the Tanzanian mainland city of Dar es Salaam and the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, moving thousands of passengers a day, many of them international tourists who have discovered the magnificent destination of Tanzania.

The evolution of Kilimanjaro for Azam Marine has seen Cummins engines in the form of the 38-litre (KTA38), 50-litre (KTA50) and 60-litre (QSK60) used prior to the emergence of the top-rated QSK95, the most powerful diesel engine RDM has fitted to a vessel. In fact, Kilimanjaro VII was the first fast ferry in the world to be specified with the 95-litre Cummins.

The Kilimanjaro family has been designed by world-leading digital shipbuilder Incat Crowther, an Australian company. The first vessel, measuring 36.8 metres, was launched in 2009 with a 400-passenger capacity and powered by twin QSK38 engines, each producing 1050 hp and a service speed of 22 knots. 

RDM has won global recognition in the marine industry with its Cummins-powered Kilimanjaro vessels. Kilimanjaro VIII is 'hull 78' for RDM, a business established in 1989 by Toby Richardson and Ron Devine who enthusiastically set about ruling the waves with their aluminium passenger and tourist ferries.

The two men met in 1987 when they were key members of the Australian Taskforce 87 syndicate that won the right to defend the America’s Cup – one of the oldest and best-known contests in international sailing.

Strong relationships

The success of the Kilimanjaro fleet is testimony to the quality aluminium construction produced by RDM. 

When Kilimanjaro VII was launched in 2019, its build quality was described as “exceptional” by Azam Marine MD Abubakar Aziz Salim. “The vessel reflects the strong relationship we have forged with RDM since the first Kilimanjaro was built in 2009,” he said.

The Kilimanjaro fleet operates in harsh, incredibly saline conditions and constantly high water temperatures around the 30 degrees Celsius mark – a highly corrosive environment.

Kilimanjaro VIII has an 18,600-litre fuel capacity, and the twin Cummins 95s draw the diesel through 40 mm (internal diameter) lines while delivering their power through ZF marine gears to the Kamewa waterjets.

The Cummins influence isn’t confined to propulsion power; the electrical needs on all Kilimanjaro ferries are met by Cummins generator sets.