GE Marine looks to boost collaboration with Turkey

Naval engines manufacturer GE Marine announced on 18 August that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turkey's TUSAS Engine Industries (TEI) covering GE Marine's LM2500 and LM500 gas turbine engines.

Under the terms of the MoU, the two companies will work on potentially localising work for the two engine types, which could include the manufacture, assembly, test, inspection, maintenance, repair, and overhaul of those engines used in Turkey and on exported vessels.

Steve Rogers, EMEA business development and sales director for GE Marine, said that the company hoped the MoU would help “to discover other opportunities for TEI to play a critical role in supporting the Turkish shipbuilding industry in partnership with GE Marine”.

GE Marine and TEI have signed an MoU to increase work in Turkey on the LM2500 gas turbine engine used on the Turkish MILGEM corvettes. (SSB)

TEI hopes that the collaboration agreement will allow the firm to become an approved and certified OEM service provider to Turkey's marine engines. Furthermore, the work will allow for the Turkish firm to achieve localisation in a range of areas such as engine design, component manufacturing, and assembly, integration, and test of the LM2500 and LM500 engines. Turkish companies will also have the opportunity to be integrated in the supply chain for the Turkish engines.

The LM2500 engine is fitted on the Turkish Navy's MILGEM corvettes. Pakistan is also a customer for the MILGEM corvette, with the first vessel being launched on 15 August. GE Marine is hoping to pitch the LM2500 engine for Turkey's TF2000 air warfare destroyer programme, and the LM500 for the Fast Attack Craft programme.