ME-engines firmly established in Brazilian market

The new engines will be delivered to Petrobras and Vale, who together draw on Brazil’s long-standing tradition in shipping, shipbuilding, hydrocarbon exploration and mining, as well as its general status as a BRIC country with a rapidly developing economy.

Petrobras, Brazil’s multinational energy company, has ordered 10 × 6S70ME-C engines to power a new generation of Suezmax tankers as part of a massive fleet-renewal programme. The Petrobras engines will be constructed by Doosan Engine in Korea with the ships being built at the new Estaleiro Atlântico Sul (EAS) shipyard.

Located in Pernambuco State in the northeast of the country, EAS plans ultimately to become the largest shipyard in the southern hemisphere. The order was landed by MAN Diesel’s two-stroke licencee Doosan and the first Suezmax tanker is expected to embark on sea-trials in May 2010.

Petrobras has also ordered four 6S50ME-C engines, to be built at STX in Korea, to power a series of product carriers. The newbuildings will be constructed at Estaleiro Mauá, Brazil’s oldest established shipyard, in Rio de Janeiro State and will also feature Alpha-branded controllable pitch propellers from MAN Diesel’s facility in Frederikshavn, Denmark.

MAN Diesel has also received an order from Seamar for four 7S80ME-C8 engines to power vessels for charter by Vale S.A., the second-largest mining company in the world and one of the largest logistics operators in Brazil. These will be installed aboard four 400,000 dwt bulk carriers to be built at DSME shipyard in Korea. Vale will eventually build another four such giant ships in Brazil.

Additionally, STX Shipyard in Korea will build 4 + 4 × 400,000 dwt bulk carriers for its own shipping company, Pan Ocean, for long-term charter to Vale. These will be powered by MAN B&W 7S80ME-C engines, constructed by STX Engine.

Finally, Vale has also placed another order in Korea for four Capesize bulk carriers from Sundong Shipyard. These two ships will be driven by MAN B&W 6S70ME-C engines, built by Hyundai.