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The Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96C engine has 40 times more torque than a popular car and weighs more than a Boeing 747
The most powerful engine in the world: Developing 109.000 hp, it consumes 14 tons of fuel per hour and moves giant ships with incredible efficiency. This is the largest engine ever and, despite its outrageous consumption, its efficiency is superior to that of a conventional internal combustion engine. Its size and power are as incredible as the rest of the numbers I will give later.
Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96C: the heart of the colossus
The Finnish company Wärtsilä gave birth to this mammoth designed to move supertankers and supercargo ships across seas and oceans. Entered service in 2006 on the cargo ship Emma Maersk. Thanks to the 109.000 HP it develops, it can move its 397 meters in length filled with thousands of maritime containers at almost 50 km/h. The Emma Maersk has a gross weight of approximately 170.974 tonnes, which further highlights the power required to move it.
Let's now get to the heart of the matter. How big is this engine really? How can it be efficient while consuming 14.000 kilograms of fuel per hour? And the torque? We will answer all of this, but I can tell you that the torque it generates is beyond all logic. Just look at the images in the gallery to understand.
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Designed to move supercarriers, the RTA96C produces 109.000 HP while consuming 14.000 kilos of fuel per hour to fulfill its mission.
Main specifications:
- Maximum power: 109.000 hp (about 80.000 kW) at 102 rpm
- Torque: 7.603.850 Nm
- Total weight: 2.300 tons
- Length: 27 meters
- High jump: 13,5 meters (equivalent to a 5-story building)
- Total displacement: 25.480 liters (1.820 liters per cylinder)
- Maximum consumption: about 14.000 kg/h of heavy fuel oil (HFO)
Only the crankshaft of this engine weighs 300 tons. Each of the 14 pistons is over 1 meter in diameter, and the connecting rods are comparable to the size of trees. Operation at low speeds — around 102 rpm — translates into reliability and high mechanical efficiency, allowing ships with tens of thousands of tons of cargo to be pushed at speeds of up to 48 km/h (26 nautical knots).
Dimensions of the largest engine in the world
While one internal combustion engine While a conventional car can weigh between 120kg and 300kg, the RTA96C tips the scales at 2.300 tons. Crazy, just like its size. About 27m long by 13,5m high, the same as a 5-story building. Let's continue with more stratospheric numbers. The displacement is a modest 25.480 liters. Considering that it is a 14-cylinder engine, we have 1.820 liters per cylinder.
Now that you see how big it is, you can imagine that it doesn't happen overnight. It takes between several months and a year, and the cost can exceed 20 million. Of course, then you need to carry out maintenance, which is done every three years and, no, it's not cheap either. As big as a 5-story building, 25.480 liters of displacement and a weight of 2.300 tons.
The Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96C
It is a 14-cylinder in-line 2-stroke turbodiesel engine with a common-rail injection system. It uses heavy fuel oil that is injected mixed with oil (note thousands of liters). The maximum power of 109.000 HP is developed at “just” 102 rpm. I don't know if this seems like a little or a lot considering its dimensions. Keep in mind that the crankshaft alone weighs 300 tons. Torque is also given at 102rpm and, hold on, it's 7.603.850Nm. Yes, we are talking on a scale of millions. 7,6 million Newton meters of torque at 102 revolutions per minute.
Consumption of the largest engine in history: Explaining the efficiency of an engine
The consumption of this beast is 3,8 liters of fuel per second at maximum load. That's almost the 14 tons per hour mentioned earlier. However, in a more efficient rotation regime, this consumption can be reduced to less than half. Not bad, although they are still crazy numbers. It is known that some ships of this type pollute as much as all the cars on the planet. We have to be aware of the load they take, which can be as incredibly huge as all the numbers we've seen in this machine's specs.
Despite this, this engine enjoys a thermal efficiency of slightly more than 50%. Something that many cars (especially those from the time it was created) don't even come close to with their combustion engines. This percentage means that 50% of the energy from the burned fuel is transformed into movement. What do you think of these engineering beasts? Is there a cleaner way to move such colossal ships? A thermal efficiency of 50% implies that 50% of the energy in the burned fuel is transformed into movement.
Environmental impact: a global concern
Despite its energy efficiency, the Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96C engine predominantly uses heavy fuel oil (HFO) — a highly polluting petroleum derivative. Emissions from sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particles contribute significantly to marine and air pollution.
Studies show that 15 Largest Cargo Ships in the World, all with similar sized engines, pollute more than the world's car fleet in terms of sulfur. Source: Transport & Environment (EU)
To mitigate this impact, the IMO (International Maritime Organization) implemented stricter rules since 2020, reducing the permitted sulfur content in marine fuel to 0,5%. In response, many shipowners began to adopt gas purification systems (scrubbers), fuel with lower sulfur content and, more recently, dual-fuel engines.
Logistics Application: How it Supports Global Trade
Engines like the RTA96C are installed in state-of-the-art container ships, responsible for transporting thousands of TEUs (20-foot container units) between continents. In the case of Emma Maersk, for example, it is estimated that it has a capacity of over 14 thousand TEUs, equivalent to the cargo volume of more than 10 thousand trucks.
Furthermore, its reliability allows long interoceanic crossings without the need for constant maintenance. Inspections are carried out, on average, every three years, with scheduled stops at dry docks, where the engine is partially disassembled for inspections.
With its 397 meters in length and 56 meters in beam, it can transport around 14.770 20-foot containers.
Operating and maintenance costs: power has its price
Operating an engine like the Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96C involves costs commensurate with its scale. Although extremely efficient for its size, the costs related to fuel, preventive maintenance and scheduled shutdowns represent a significant fraction of the logistics costs of a modern cargo ship.
Fuel consumption
At maximum load, the engine consumes about 14 tons of heavy fuel oil (HFO) per hour. Considering a global average price of US$600 per metric ton of HFO (2025 baseline values), this results in an expenditure of US$8.400 per hour of continuous operation.
On a 30-day crossing between Asia and Europe, operating approximately 20 hours per day, fuel costs would exceed $5M monthly. This expense may vary depending on the cruising speed and the adoption of low-sulfur fuels, as required by international standards.
Maintenance cost and periodic reviews
The RTA96C engine requires complete inspections every 25.000 to 30.000 hours of operation, which is equivalent, on average, to deep maintenance every three years. On these occasions, the ship is taken to a shipyard for dry docking, partial disassembly and overhaul of critical components — including pistons, connecting rods, valves and the crankshaft.
This process can cost between US$1,5 million and US$3 million, depending on the scope of services, the availability of spare parts and the geographical location. The crankshaft, for example, which weighs 300 tons, requires specialized tools and cranes just for its removal and inspection.
Specialized technical team
The operation and maintenance of engines of this size also require a highly trained technical crew. Naval engineers, propulsion system operators and machine technicians are part of a team that works continuously to ensure the reliability of the system. The costs of on-board technical personnel and outsourced services at shipyards should also be considered as a relevant part of the fixed operating costs.
Total life cycle cost
Considering fuel, maintenance, crew and possible replacement of parts, it is estimated that the cost of complete life cycle of the Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96C engine surpass the $100M monthly over 25 years of operation. This value includes not only operating expenses, but also the initial manufacturing cost, which can reach $20 to 25 million per unit.
Things from cold countries… every hot country is poor and underdeveloped. Like our beloved Brazil!
In cold countries, corruption is low and when it is discovered, they go to prison. In cold countries, politicians work for the well-being of the people, not the other way around. When there are elections, they are free. Whoever wants to vote can vote. It is a civic duty, not an obligation.
I'm going to buy an engine like that 😂😂😂
Buy two on your card and I'll pay you month by month
Will it be a plot?
It's an incredible dream to work on a beautiful machine like this.