The new six-cylinder, 6.6-litre Perkins M300C is claimed to offer a considerable increase in delivered power, torque and noise reduction compared with similar output engines on the market. It is also said to boast excellent fuel economy and service cost savings.

At 300hp [223kW], the new high-power-output Perkins M300C is the most powerful engine in the current marine engine line-up. It is based on the much acclaimed Perkins 1100 Series engine and is a wastegated turbocharged, charge-air-cooled engine that is built to the most exacting environmental and performance standards. The M300C satisfies all of the requirements of both EC [European Commission] EU 97/68/EC Stage IIIA emissions legislation
and the USA’s EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] 40 CFR [Code of Federal Regulations] Part 94 (Control of Emissions from Marine Compression-Ignition Engines) Tier 3 off-highway emissions regulations. The new engine also satisfies the requirements of IMO [International Maritime Organization] Annex VI of the MARPOL (International Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Convention, and the current inland waterways environmental regulations.

It offers reliable, excellent power-to-weight performance, yet delivers its maximum power output at a comfortable and low-stressed 2,400rpm, which underpins Perkins claims for the M300C’s extended, trouble-free life expectancy. By designing the engine to minimise noise at source, it has established a new benchmark for noise pollution throughout its speed range by reducing engine noise levels by up to 5dB(A). It also lays claim to significant vibration reduction.

Reliability has been taken to a new level, and the M300C’s fuel and air supply systems, deliver excellent fuel economy and low heat rejection. Frequent computerised checks throughout the production process ensure that build quality is consistently maintained and every engine is factory tested before it leaves the Wimborne Marine Power Centre plant in the UK.

Standard gearbox options for the new engine are, from Twin Disc, the 2.43-1 reduction
MG-5065 SC and the MG-5065 A, the 2.88-1 reduction MG-5075 SC and the MG-5075 A, and the 2.46-1 reduction MG-5075 IV. ZF Marine transmissions are the ZF 286, the ZF 286A and the ZF 286 IV that are available with all reduction ratios. Full engine power is available via an SAE B power take-off drive.

The compact M300C is designed for ease of installation and trouble-free maintenance,
with cost-saving 500-hour service intervals, a 500-hour or once a season oil change, and the bonus of single-side servicing from either side, so the low-cost-of-ownership power package should appeal for both new-build and repowers. The engine is expected to particularly appeal to owners and operators of a wide range of craft including passenger ferries and sight-seeing boats, pilot boats, harbour launches and workboats.

Parts and service support for the M300C are available only through the Perkins distribution network that today numbers 132 distributors in 184 countries. Contact details can be found at www.perkins-sabre.com, along with specifications for the current leisure and commercial marine propulsion and generator set engine ranges.