Wärtsilä Corporation of Finland and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd of Japan have signed a joint development agreement to design and develop new small, low-speed marine diesel engines of less than 450 mm cylinder bore.
The two companies see good business potential in pooling their resources and experience to develop new small marine engines of less than 450 mm cylinder bore. Such engines are suitable for a wide variety of small ship types, including bulk carriers, product tankers, chemical tankers, container feeder vessels and reefer ships. Such ships are employed in world-wide trades but with the smaller types being specifically employed in short-sea and coastal services. The new engines shall meet the market needs for high efficiency, high reliability, compactness and environmental friendliness.
Details of the new engines to be developed under this agreement will be announced in a few months time after the initial design studies have been completed.
This agreement is an extension of the strategic alliance created by Wärtsilä and Mitsubishi in September 2005. This alliance was formed on the basis of the successful joint development by the two companies of the Wärtsilä RT-flex50 and Mitsubishi UEC50LSE low-speed engine types.
Wärtsilä has its own range of low-speed marine diesel engines covering the power range from 5650 kW to 84,420 kW. Today the Wärtsilä RT-flex engine types feature the latest electronically-controlled common-rail technology. Mitsubishi has its own range of UE low-speed marine diesel engines covering the power range from 1120 kW to 46,800 kW. Mitsubishi also has long co-operated in the manufacture of Sulzer and Wärtsilä low-speed engines going back to an agreement signed with Sulzer in 1925. The new, smaller engine types will reinforce the respective engine portfolios in the lower power range.
The project is led by a joint working group of engineers from both companies with supervision by a steering committee including senior management of the two companies.
It is envisaged that the new engines will be built by Wärtsilä's and Mitsubishi's licensees world-wide.
Media contacts:
Mr Martin Wernli
President
Wärtsilä Switzerland
Direct tel: +41 52 262 2686
e-mail: martin.wernli@wartsila.com
Ms Marit Holmlund-Sund
Public Relations Manager
Wärtsilä Corporation
Direct tel: +358 10 709 1439
Direct fax: +358 10 709 1425
e-mail: marit.holmlund-sund@wartsila.com
Internet: www.wartsila.com
Mr Tomoo Kuzu
Senior Manager, Marine Diesel & Machinery Business Section
Industrial Energy Power Systems Department
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd
Direct tel: +81-3-6716-3383
e-mail: tomoo_kuzu@mhi.co.jp
Internet: www.mhi.co.jp
Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä enhances the business of its customers by providing them with complete lifecycle power solutions. When creating better and environmentally compatible technologies, Wärtsilä focuses on the marine and energy markets with products and solutions as well as services. Through innovative products and services, Wärtsilä sets out to be the most valued business partner of all its customers. This is achieved by the dedication of more than 17,000 professionals manning 160 Wärtsilä locations in 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on The Nordic Exchange in Helsinki, Finland. www.wartsila.com
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd is one of the world's leading shipbuilders and also a major supplier of a wide-range marine machinery such as diesel engines, turbines, boilers, propellers, deck machinery etc., covering high-, medium-, and low-speed diesel engines, with the related services, for various type of vessels. For the power generation market, Mitsubishi delivers power plant solutions from 1 to 1200 MW. In addition Mitsubishi has high-level independent research and development centres with more than 2,000 qualified researchers who assist the development and design of the wide range of various products. Mitsubishi's net sales totalled Japanese Yen 3,200 billion (approx. EUR 20.0 billion) in fiscal year of 2007 and it has 33,000 employees.
For the low-speed engines, Mitsubishi has been a licensee of the Sulzer and Wärtsilä types since 1925, and has been the designer of UE engines for some 50 years as well, enjoying the customers' reputation on its products. www.mhi.co.jp
