Platts reported that Wartsila has signed major contracts with Aker Yards AS Søviknes and Aker Yards AS Trading for the supply of propulsion equipment for five offshore vessel projects being built in Norway, India and Brazil.

The orders cover the supply of a total of 15 Wärtsilä engines, as well as power generation, automation, and other ancillary equipment. First marine application for Wartsila 34DF engine For the Platform Supply Vessel being built at the Aker Yards facility in Söviknes in Norway, Wärtsilä will supply three 6 cylinder Wärtsilä 34DF engines. This is the first marine application order for this successful multi fuel engine that is able to run on either marine diesel oil, heavy fuel oil or natural gas.

Wärtsilä will also supply this vessel with the complete power management system, the main generator sets, frequency converters, propulsion motors and Low Loss Concept transformers. LLC has been developed to negate the need for large transformers and their associated components and utilities in the propulsion line. The concept, which has already been successfully applied in the offshore and passenger ship segments, has been proven to save fuel and installation costs, to reduce the amount of space required for component installation, and to deliver greater redundancy in an electrical propulsion system.

Mr Sigurd Viseth sales manager of Wärtsilä Ship Power said that "These orders underpin the strong relationship we have enjoyed with Aker Yards Group for many years. Both companies are committed to providing their customers with the most efficient marine solutions, and this is evidenced by Aker's selection of the Wärtsilä 34DF engine. It is the ideal choice for this particular vessel, and we anticipate that it will become as established in marine applications as it already is in land-based power plants."