W?rtsil? to Power New Chinese Sand Pumping Vessel

The Wärtsilä Yuchai Engine Company Limited (WYEC), a joint venture company founded in 2013, has been contracted to supply two 16-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 engines for a large new sand pumping vessel. The ship is being built at the Dongguan Xiandai Shipbuilding yard for a private Chinese operator, and the order with WYEC was placed in September. The ship will operate on both heavy fuel oil (HFO) and marine diesel oil (MDO).

The customer has a leading position as an innovator within the Chinese sand pumping vessel market. The Wärtsilä engines will be the largest ever to be installed in this type of ship in China, which will enable the company to extend their operations into deeper waters. The main reasons cited for selecting the Wärtsilä engines were their advanced technology, fuel efficiency and operational reliability. Wärtsilä's capability to provide 24/7 service support in the South China Sea was another factor in the award of the contract.

"This is an important order that will strengthen WYEC's position in China's marine industry. Our modern production facilities enable us to meet the needs of the most demanding marine customers," says Tapani Karinkanta, Managing Director, WYEC.

"We are expanding our sand pumping business by developing the ability to work in deeper waters than was previously possible. For this we need bigger ships with strong and reliable engines. We are therefore pleased to have WYEC as a partner in this important newbuild project," says Mr. Mai Xiwen, the owner of the new vessel.

The Wärtsilä engines are scheduled for delivery by mid-2017, and the ship is expected to begin operations in May 2018. A ceremony marking the start of construction was held on October 21, and was attended by management and sales personnel from WYEC.