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Finnish firm Wärtsilä says that its 34DF dual-fuel engine is "becoming the global standard for LNG carrier applications" as the three major South Korean shipyards - Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd, Samsung Heavy Industries Co Ltd and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co Ltd - are supporting the use of its 34DF engine for auxiliary applications in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier segment where dual-fuel engines are favoured.

South Korea currently has more than 80 percent of the total order book for LNG tankers, whilst Wärtsilä says its 34DF engine has achieved an auxiliary application market share of approximately 70 percent in this sector.

During the first half of this year, Wärtsilä has been awarded contracts for 56 Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines for 14 new LNG carriers being built for four different owners. This means that Wärtsilä has already received orders for nearly 100 such engines from these three yards since it was relaunched with a higher maximum continuous rating (MCR) in 2013. All these orders were placed by South Korea's three leading shipyards and the vessels are being built for European, American, and Asian owners.

Lars Anderson, Vice President, Engine Sales, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions, commented: "The Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel engine is a powerful, versatile, and efficient engine that is helping shipping move into the gas age. 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."

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