Hyundai Heavy’s HiMSEN 4-Stroke Marine Engines Now for Drillships

Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world’s biggest shipbuilder and a leading marine engine manufacturer, today announced it won orders to supply HiMSEN marine engines for drillships for major offshore drilling companies including Noble Drilling Holding LLC., Diamond Offshore Drilling Ltd.

The 98 HiMSEN engines, worth USD 150 million, will be installed in 15 drillships including 9 Hyundai Heavy ordered this year from the first half of 2012.

“This is a great moment for us as we used to have to import marine engines for our drillships. Now, shipowners are beginning to recognize the superior quality of our HiMSEN engines and have begun ordering in earnest. We’re excited about this new development because it can considerably cut down on build and delivery times,” said a Hyundai Heavy official.

Usually, six to eight marine engines are installed in a drillship to generate power for the thrusters. Thrusters keep the drillship in position while operating.

Hyundai-HiMSEN engines are medium speed 4-stroke diesel engines developed in 2000. The eco-friendly HiMSEN engines installed in containerized packaged power plants and diesel power plants have been exported to countries in Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa helping ease power shortages. The 4-stroke diesel engines greatly helped the recovery in hurricane-hit Cuba in 2008 and earthquake-stricken Chile thanks to its mobility and easy installation.

Since its first HiMSEN engine rolled off the line in 2001, Hyundai Heavy has achieved an aggregated production of 5,000 HiMSEN engines, taking up for 35% of international medium speed marine engine markets. The HiMSEN engine’s superior design has also been recognized in the market by winning design awards at the 2010 International Forum (iF) Design Award and Red Dot Design Award 2010.

Since 2000, Hyundai Heavy has exported 6,700 HiMSEN engines to 40 countries.