Wärtsilä Manufactures 2000th 20 Diesel Engine

The Wärtsilä 20 engine type was introduced in 1992 as a heavy-duty diesel engine for economical, reliable operation on heavy fuel oil. In its ten years' production, the engine has been further developed and still offers a combination of state-of-the-art design and top performance in a compact, space-saving package. Its service experience has confirmed its ability to achieve long times between overhauls. Up to 24,000 hours' operation between overhauls are achieved on light fuel oils. The Wärtsilä 20 now gives up to 180 kW/cylinder at up to 1000 rev/min. Thus with four to nine cylinder in-line, it now offers maximum continuous outputs of 520 to 1620 kW. The summer of 2003 will also see the delivery of the first pilot engines with the next output stage, which is 10 per cent above the previous stage.

This engine type has been particularly popular for auxiliary shipboard applications. The 2000th engine is one of three nine-cylinder engines being supplied as complete diesel generating sets for a 2500 TEU container ship being built at the German shipyard Aker MTW Werft GmbH in Wismar for the German shipowner Reederei Nord Klaus E. Oldendorff GmbH. This is one of 16 container ships of the same class from Aker MTW for various owners, for which Wärtsilä has also supplied Sulzer 7RTA72U-B main engines but with various configurations of Wärtsilä 20 generating sets according to the shipowners' requirements.