Just over a year after Hudong Heavy Machinery Company (HHM) in Shanghai presented the first Chinese-built 80 cm bore MC engine, they can now claim the honour of having the first ME orders in China. Also Europe has seen ME orders this month, at Izar MDE in Spain.
HHM has received orders for 10 ME engines for two different projects at Chinese shipyards.
Zhejiang Shipyard will be constructing six 1800 TEU container vessels for German owner MPC Münchmeyer Petersen Marine. These ships will be equipped with 8S60ME-C engines.
The second order is a series of four 2500 TEU vessels at Yang Zi Jiang Shipyard for German owner Peter Döhle Schiffahrts-KG. These vessels will have 6K80ME-C engines. Ships of thisdesign were previously delivered with 6K80MC-C engines for another German owner, but now the yard has revised the design to include the electronically controlled ME engines.
The Izar MDE order is for 4 x 6L70ME-C engines for Peter Döhle Schiffahrts-KG for their series of 1700 TEU container vessels to be built at Sietas Shipyard in Germany.
Successful introduction
These new engine orders are a continuation of the successful introduction of MAN B&W Diesel’s electronically controlled ME engines.
Ole Grøne, Vice President for Two-stroke Sales and Marketing, says, “The ME order book now comprises far more than 100 engines, which we are very satisfied with. The ME concept has been accepted by our licensees in Japan and Korea, and now also in China and Europe. We can see that owners have taken to the ME engines, and have chosen them for a wide range of ship sizes and types. The first engines have now been in service for about a year, and we have received very positive feed-back. In particular, it has been noted how easy they are to operate, which was one of our main objectives.”
Hudong has been producing MAN B&W Diesel engines since 1985, and the cooperation has been very beneficial for both parties. Hudong has built 469 MAN B&W Diesel-designed engines, with a total power output currently standing at 4,424,023 kW, and the number is still growing.