Wartsila 34DF racks up LNG carrier successes

Six cylinder Wärtsilä 34DF

AUGUST 27, 2015 – Wärtsilä says that the upgraded version of the Wärtsilä 34DF engine is rapidly becoming established as an industry standard with the three major South Korean shipbuilders are supporting its use for auxiliary applications in the LNG carrier segment where dual-fuel engines are favored.

South Korea currently has more than 80% of the total order book for LNG tankers, with the Wärtsilä 34DF engine taking an auxiliary application market share of approximately 70% in this sector.

In the first half of this year Wärtsilä has won contracts for 56 Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines for 14 new LNG carriers being built for four different owners.

Based on the successful Wärtsilä 32 engine platform, the 34DF was originally introduced in 2008. In 2013 it was upgraded to provide 11 percent more power and increased efficiency without changing its physical dimensions. The upgraded version has a power output range from 3,000 to 10,000 kW at 500 kW per cylinder

Since the engine’s relaunch with a higher MCR, Wärtsilä has received orders for nearly 100 of the engines from South Korea’s three leading shipyards for ships that are being built for European, American, and Asian owners.

“The Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel engine is a powerful, versatile, and efficient engine that is helping shipping move into the gas age,” says Lars Anderson, Vice President, Engine Sales, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions. “The impressive track record of 100 engines sold in a two year period speaks for itself. While the success has been universal, with contracts from yards and owners globally, the fact that the world’s largest shipbuilding nation, South Korea, is increasingly opting for the Wärtsilä 34DF is especially gratifying.”