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Finnish engine manufacturer Wärtsilä has signed a major contract with Aker Yards AS Søviknes - the recently established project development arm of the Aker Yards Group - for the supply of its latest multi-fuel engine. Under the agreement, Wärtsilä will supply a Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) being built at the Aker Yards facility in Söviknes, with three 6-cylinder Wärtsilä 34DF engines. This is the first marine application order for this successful multi-fuel engine that is able to run on either marine diesel oil, heavy fuel oil or natural gas. Commenting on the agreement, Sigurd Viseth, Sales Manager, Wärtsilä Ship Power, said: "These orders underpin the strong relationship we have enjoyed with Aker Yards Group for many years. Both companies are committed to providing their customers with the most efficient marine solutions, and this is evidenced by Aker's selection of the Wärtsilä 34DF engine. It is the ideal choice for this particular vessel, and we anticipate that it will become as established in marine applications as it already is in land-based power plants." Based on the Wärtsilä 32 engine, and incorporating the operational experience gained from the Wärtsilä 32DF dual-fuel engine, Wärtsilä claims its 34DF has a 30% higher output than its predecessor. It also incorporates a number of new features including double wall gas piping, built-in lubricating oil system components, and a UNIC engine control system. In all, Wärtsilä says it represents a more energy efficient propulsion solution for the offshore market. To Aker Yards AS Søviknes, Wärtsilä will supply three 6-cylinder in-line Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel engines, each rated at 2610kW. These will be installed in a LNG-fuelled Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) being built at the Aker Yards' facility at Søviknes, in Norway. Wärtsilä will also supply this vessel with the complete power management system, the main generator sets, frequency converters, propulsion motors, and Low Loss Concept (LLC) transformers. LLC was developed by Wärtsilä to save both fuel and installation costs, as well as reducing emissions and the amount of space required for component installation. This innovation also aims to deliver greater redundancy in the electrical propulsion system, and make commissioning work easier. Last month, Wärtsilä's LLC system was ordered by Canadian shipowner Transport Desgagnés for installation in a 95m passenger/vehicle/container vessel, to be built at Croatia's Kraljevica Shipyard. It will be the first ever application of Wärtsilä's LLC in a passenger vessel. Speaking at the time of the announcement, Piotr Kabacinski, Project Manager, Wärtsilä Ship Power said "LLC can reduce electrical losses by 3%, and this means good fuel savings and less pollution. The system also provides improved health, safety and environmental (HSE) performance through fewer components, lower pollution and higher system redundancy."