Corps Vessel Goes Green With New Engines
Channel: Norfolk District Army Corps
Date: 2012-12-05

(Natural Sound -- Chains)
"We're working on the Army Corps Vessel Elizabeth, putting new engines in the vessel" - Steve Baum
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New engines that will make replace old environmentally-unfriendly engines that were well past their prime.
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The engines were old, two-stroke technology -- very old. They were worn out when the Corps got them, they put them in the boat because that is all they had at the time. And they burned a lot of fuel, they smoked badly, and they were in dire need of an overhaul. -- Baum
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So contractors working at the Norfolk District's Great Bridge Lock facility perform a delicate maneuver with a crane (NAT Pop HOIST) and chains ( NAT POP WORKER giving direction) to place the two new engines into place, expanding the Elizabeth's lifespan and making the vessel more green.
The new engine technology brought new EPA standards, no more smoking, no more overloading, we'll burn about one third less fuel, and as far as emissions, the emissions are incredible low. -- Baum.
Baum also says the new engine technology will make the boat run more efficiently.
They're fly-by-wire, what that means is it's all electronic controls right to the engine, and you could push the throttle all the way home if you would like, but the engine won't give you full power until the boat comes up to speed. -- Baum.
According to Baum, this means the engines won't be pumping unused fuel out the exhaust, as is the case with the older technology. 
Substantial fuel savings costs, these are green engines, green technology; we'll increase the horsepower considerably from what they had before. -- Baum. 
The new technology ensures the Elizabeth will be out on the water picking up debris and assisting in sediment sampling operations for many years to come. 
From Chesapeake Va., (NAT POP) Patrick Bloodgood