Posted on November 20, 2023
HOUSTON, TEXAS – Caterpillar Marine today announced it has entered a memorandum of understanding with Penguin International Limited and Cat® dealer Tractors Singapore Limited (TSL). Based in Singapore, Penguin International is a recognized regional aluminum shipbuilder as well as an owner/operator of aluminum high-speed vessels. The company was founded in 1976 and is publicly listed on Singapore’s stock exchange.
“As part of our effort to help maritime industry customers achieve their decarbonization goals, we are working closely with leading shipbuilding companies to introduce new hybrid power solutions,” said Brad Johnson, vice president and general manager of Caterpillar Marine. “We’re excited to collaborate with Penguin to enable them to offer lower emission crew transport vessels (CTV) and fast crew boats (FCB).”
Since 1995, Penguin International has delivered more than 200 aluminum workboats, patrol craft and passenger ferries to ship owners around the world, including more than 150 proprietary-designed Flex offshore crew boats and armored security boats (Flex Fighter). The Flex series is Penguin’s flagship crewboat design – starting with the original Flex-36 in 2006 and culminating in the current Flex-42X Executive Fast Crew Boat. Their crew boats are jointly developed by the company’s integrated in-house shipbuilding and ship management teams in Singapore, backed by more than two decades of experience.
“Penguin boats set the standard for mid-sized crew boats in the offshore petroleum, windfarm and maritime security industries,” said James Tham, Managing Director of Penguin International. “Teaming up with Caterpillar Marine allows us to support our customers’ energy transition needs through power solutions that employ alternative fuels, hybrid solutions and batteries. We can achieve our own sustainability goals and those of our customers as well.”
TSL will oversee the installation and commissioning of the new solutions. Established in January 1966, TSL distributes a full line of Cat machines, engines and propulsion systems, and also offers a full range of services including sales, rental, parts and after service support for the Republic of Singapore, the Republic of Maldives and Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) territories. Their ties with Caterpillar go back to the 1920s when their parent company, Sime Darby, acquired the Cat dealership for Sarawak.
