Baudouin: Genuine Marine Engines Engineered for World-Class Vessels

For over a century, Baudouin has been powering the global maritime industry with engines designed around reliability, endurance and genuine marine engineering. Founded in France in 1918, Baudouin works alongside shipyards, naval architects and operators worldwide to deliver propulsion and auxiliary solutions capable of meeting demanding operational requirements without compromising vessel design.

Performance Designed Around the Vessel

Selecting an engine is about more than power output. For naval architects, every kilogram, connection point and cubic metre of engine-room space can influence the overall vessel design.

Baudouin marine engines are therefore developed with integration in mind, combining high power density, compact architecture, serviceability and compliance with increasingly demanding emissions regulations.

From workboats and tugs to ferries, crewboats and larger commercial vessels, the range gives designers the flexibility to match propulsion requirements while optimising machinery-space utilisation and overall vessel configuration.

12M26.3: A Practical Alternative Without Major Redesign

For projects traditionally designed around common engines in the market, the Baudouin 12M26.3 offers naval architects and shipyards a particularly attractive alternative.

With a 31.8-litre displacement and output of up to 1,214 kW, the 12M26.3 is available for both propulsion and genset applications and can meet IMO III, EPA 4 and Stage V requirements in its SCR configuration. 

More importantly from a vessel-design perspective, the engine has been developed to facilitate integration into existing engine-room concepts. According to Baudouin's product specification, it can be installed without major redesign of foundations or engine-room layout — an important advantage for naval architects considering an alternative engine platform without wanting to fundamentally rework the vessel. 

At matched duty ratings, Baudouin also positions the 12M26.3 as delivering up to 4% lower fuel consumption versus competing solutions, while being approximately 100 to 350 kg lighter depending on the comparison, contributing to vessel weight optimisation. 

Flexible SCR integration further helps designers accommodate the emissions system within the available machinery space rather than designing the vessel around a fixed aftertreatment configuration. 

This combination makes the 12M26.3 particularly relevant not only for newbuild projects, but also for projects where an established engine-room architecture needs to be retained.

The engine is already operating in commercial marine applications, including the Pelican Marvel crewboat [https://baudouin.com/case-study/pelican-marvel-crewboat-baudouin-case-study/] highlighted in Baudouin’s reference material and built by Penguin Shipyard, or the diesel electric ElectRA tugboat [https://baudouin.com/case-study/electra-tugboats-baudouin-case-study/]

The M33.3 Range: Compact Power for Commercial Vessels

For demanding commercial applications, the M33.3 family combines strong low-speed torque, compact dimensions and genuine marine engineering.

The 6M33.3 delivers up to 750 kW and is particularly suited to applications requiring responsive torque and manoeuvrability, including workboats and towing operations.

At the upper end of the family, the 16M33.3 brings increased power capability for heavier commercial vessels while maintaining the durability, accessibility and integration philosophy expected from Baudouin marine engines.

Together, the M33.3 range gives naval architects additional flexibility when balancing propulsion performance, machinery-space constraints and vessel operating profile.

Pushing the Limits: The 12M55

For projects requiring significantly higher propulsion power, the Baudouin 12M55 extends the range up to 2,536 kW / 3,450 hp at 1,800 rpm.

Designed for heavy-duty applications such as sea-going tugs, deep-sea trawlers, dredgers and ferries, it combines high power density with a modular architecture developed for maintainability and long-term operation.

The result is a broader Baudouin propulsion portfolio allowing designers to address vessels ranging from compact commercial craft to large, power-intensive applications.

Engineering Support Beyond the Engine

For naval architects and shipyards, choosing the right engine is only part of the engineering process.

Baudouin supports projects through application engineering, installation studies and technical coordination, helping optimise interfaces between the engine, transmission, cooling, exhaust and aftertreatment systems.

This engineering approach is complemented by a worldwide service network and more than 30,000 genuine spare parts available for immediate shipment, supporting vessel availability throughout its operating life.

Designed to Fit the Vessel — Not the Other Way Around

From the integration-friendly 12M26.3 to the high-output 12M55, Baudouin offers naval architects a marine engine portfolio designed to provide more freedom at the drawing board.

Compact installation, competitive weight, flexible SCR integration and a broad range of propulsion outputs allow designers to optimise the vessel around its mission — rather than redesigning the vessel simply to accommodate its engines.

For newbuilds, alternative engine specifications or projects where existing machinery-space layouts need to be preserved, Baudouin brings together genuine marine engineering, application flexibility and more than a century of experience at sea.