Wärtsilä 32 generating sets again the choice for Chinese container vessels

Wärtsilä has been awarded the contract to supply newbuild Chinese container vessels with a total of 24 9-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 Auxpac generating sets. The engines will power six 21,000 TEU ships being built at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard (SWS) for China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL). The order was placed in June with Wärtsilä’s joint venture company CSSC Wärtsilä Engine (Shanghai) Co Ltd (CWEC).

Because of its reliability, efficiency, and high availability the Wärtsilä 32 Auxpac engine has become a popular choice for vessels in the upper end of the shipping market. The Wärtsilä 32 is the most powerful of the company’s Auxpac range of generating sets. In March of this year, the engine was ordered for eight new CSCL container ships; in January 2015 for five new container vessels built for China Ocean Shipping Group (COSCO), and also in 2015 for another 11 new COSCO vessels. Four Wärtsilä 32 engines are required for each of these ships.

“It is very clear that the Wärtsilä 32 Auxpac is the right choice for this segment of the market. Repeat orders are the most solid endorsement of this fact, and the engine is perfect for ships with an auxiliary power need in the 2500 kWe to 4500 kWe range,” says Stefan Wiik, Vice President, Engines, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.

The Wärtsilä engines will be delivered to the yard commencing mid 2017.

The Wärtsilä Auxpac 32 engine

The Wärtsilä Auxpac 32 is the auxiliary engine version of the well-proven Wärtsilä 32 family, of which more than 1200 engines are in operation worldwide. It is Wärtsilä’s most powerful Auxpac generating set and is aimed at the upper end of the merchant shipping market, notably large container vessels with an auxiliary power need of from 2500 kWe to 4500 kWe per generating set. This powerful output, together with its compact design, gives it a power-to-space ratio that is outstanding compared to alternatives on the market.

CSSC Wartsila Engine (Shanghai) Company Ltd. (CWEC)

CWEC is a joint venture company established by CSSC and Wärtsilä in July, 2014. CWEC is the first company capable of producing large bore medium speed diesel engines and dual-fuel engines in China, with the main target being large container vessels, LNG carriers, offshore sector vessels, cruise & ferry ships, and other special vessel markets. CWEC produces 4-stroke Wärtsilä 26, Wärtsilä 32, Wärtsilä 34DF, Wärtsilä 46F and 46DF engines and generating sets.