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Wärtsilä-Hyundai Engine Company Ltd., the new joint venture between Wärtsilä and Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea, has received a major order for 16 Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel engines to be used in four ships to be built by Samsung Heavy Industries.

The engines are to be installed on so called Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) vessels ordered by FLEX LNG. The first engine will be delivered in February 2010.

According to Wärtsilä-Hyundai, the Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel engine represents a pioneering industry change from traditional steam turbine machinery to a dual-fuel-electric concept with the benefits of much better operating economy and lower exhaust emissions.

The engine can run on either natural gas, marine diesel oil (MDO) or on heavy fuel oil (HFO). Furthermore, the engine can smoothly switch between fuels during engine operation and is designed to give the same output regardless of the fuel used.

Wärtsilä Corporation and Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd (HHI) established the 50/50-owned South Korean joint venture, Wärtsilä-Hyundai Engine Company Ltd, in January 2007. The joint-venture manufactures Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel engines for LNG (liquefied natural gas) carriers and other marine applications.

The 25,000 m2 manufacturing facility, which has a production volume of approximately 120 engines per year, is located in the Deabul Industrial Complex in South Korea. Production began in July 2008.

Demand in this market is expected to continue to grow in tandem with the increasing global demand for natural gas. The main markets for the dual fuel engines are in South Korea, which currently has a market share exceeding 80 percent of the LNG shipbuilding market.