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| July 8, 2005 No.1065 | ||
| MHI Develops Low-Speed Marine Diesel "UEC50LSE" In Cooperation with Wärtsilä Switzerland |
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| Tokyo, July 8, 2005 - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has developed a new low-speed marine diesel engine, the "UEC50LSE," in cooperation with Wärtsilä Switzerland Ltd. MHI initially reached an agreement with Wärtsilä in November 2002 toward joint development of marine diesels, and the UEC50LSE is the first fruit of their collaborative effort. The newly developed model is the 6-cylinder 6UEC50LSE. After verification testing of performance and reliability on land, MHI will start full-fledged marketing activities of the new engine. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vessels classified as Panamax are capable of passage through the Panama Canal; they range from 70,000 to 90,000 DWT (dead-weight tonnage) in scale. Handimax vessels are slightly smaller, at 50,000-58,000 DWT. Feeder container ships have capacities below 2,700 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) and transport containers between major hub ports and smaller feeder service ports. The new UEC50LSE engine has a cylinder bore of 500 mm (millimeters) with maximum power output of 1,660 kW per cylinder. Up to 15% higher output is achieved compared to conventional engines of similar size. The engine is also designed to accommodate SIP (Swirl Injection Principle) cylinder oil injection systems for enhanced operating efficiency. The SIP system, developed by Hans Jensen Lubricators A/S of Denmark, is a revolutionary lubrication system that greatly reduces cylinder oil consumption and minimizes wear of cylinder ring liners. In light of these clear advantages, today adoption of SIP systems is spreading rapidly. Wärtsilä Switzerland is a group company of Wärtsilä Corporation, a global leader in marine engine production based in Helsinki, Finland. Wärtsilä Switzerland designs low-speed Sulzer marine diesels with power outputs ranging from 5,000 kW to 80,000 kW. MHI, in addition to producing proprietary UEC engines, has for a number of years manufactured Sulzer engines under a licensing agreement with Wärtsilä Switzerland. Development of the UEC50LSE thus marks a new milestone in the cooperative relationship between the two companies. The LSE series has acquired an excellent reputation from customers since its market debut in 2001, with orders received for more than 40 units. Now, with the launch of the new UEC50LSE, MHI will be able to respond even more precisely to customer needs. The company thus aims to boost its sales activities in marine diesels all the more in the coming years. Main Specifications of UEC50LSE
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About Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading heavy machinery manufacturers, with consolidated sales of 2,373 billion yen in fiscal 2003 (year ended March 31, 2004). MHI's diverse lineup of products and services encompasses shipbuilding, steel structures, power plants, chemical plants, steel plants, environmental equipment, industrial and general machinery, aircraft, space rocketry and air-conditioning systems. For more information, please visit the MHI website (http://www.mhi.co.jp). PRESS CONTACT: Hideo Ikuno: h.ikuno@daiya-pr.co.jp Tel: +813-6716-5277, Fax: +813-6716-5929 Daiya PR (in charge of public relations for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.) |
