Rolls-royce to power Dubai water taxis

A fleet of new water taxis powered by Rolls-Royce waterjets is being introduced here by the Road Transport Authority to help improve transport infrastructure in this gulf city. This is the first order for waterjets for water taxis in the UAE where Rolls-Royce is already a supplier of marine, aerospace and energy power systems in the region. The first of ten catamaran-based vessels, a modern version of the traditional water taxi, is scheduled to carry out sea trials in August 2009. The Deliveries are due to be completed by early 2010. "Waterjets are ideal for these taxis because they are most efficient at speeds of about 30 knots and upwards," Esa Uotinen, the regional manager Marine, at Rolls-Royce said. "They are lightweight, simple to maintain and enables vessels excellent manoeuvre ability coupled with high speed," he said. Each water taxi is capable of more than 30 knots and will be able to carry 11 passengers. They will work around the Dubai Creek as well as the Dubai coast to provide a more modern, flexible and integrated public transport service.  The heart of a waterjet unit is a pump, usually driven by a shaft from a diesel engine or gas turbine, which draws in water through a sloping intake duct from under the boat's hull, and discharges it through an aft-facing nozzle.  The result is a thrust that drives the vessel forward. Fast patrol boats built by Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) here are already powered by Rolls-Royce waterjets. Earlier, ADSB and Rolls-Royce signed a service agreement covering waterjets in the region and a new Marine Service Facility is expected to come up soon in Dubai.