"Made in Germany1 — a New High

Despite the problems posed for indigenous production by Europe's marine engineering industry due to the loss of critical mass in European shipbuilding, through the accelerated gravitation of shipbuilding activity to eastern Asia. MAN B&W Diesel's Augsburg works has hit a new high.

From its landlocked location in southern Bavaria, the Augsburg marine engine division secured the largest order volume in the parent company's history in the anniversary year 2003. The most telling aspect of its achievement was the predominant export orientation of the new business.

providing a further demonstration of the worth attached to the 'Made in Germany' label.

The company attracted contracts for a total 680.000-kW of mediumspeed, large-bore diesel engines for manufacture at Augsburg, the fountainhead of the design technology embodied in that machinery. The power total is represented by 76 engines, destined for containership.

ferry, ro-ro vessel, chemical tanker, bulk carrier. FPSO(floating production.

storage and offloading) unit and tug applications during 2004 and 2005.

Some 60-percent of the engines will be supplied to shipyards in China. South Korea. Japan and Vietnam, and a further 15-percent is for other export destinations. The home shipbuilding market accounts for 25-percent of the 2003 order tally.

The company's Augsburg-developed f a m i h of large trunk engines, consisting of the 58/64, 48/60. 40/54 and 32/40 series, has been brought to the market over the period f r om 1985 to 1995, and the B version of the 48/60. w ith its 14-percent unit power uprating, was launched in 2002. The enduringly popular 58/64 and successful 48/60B are most strongly represented in the engines booked by shipyards and shipping companies f r om MAN B&W Augsburg last year for propulsion duties.

MAN B&W observed that the order boom in 2003 for merchant vessel newbuilds, primarily benefiting Asian workloads, reflected strongly increasing freight rates and low marine engine prices. The group's expansion of its network of international branches during the past few years better positioned it to act on the growth in market demand.

MAN B&W has experienced strong business growth emanating from China's fast developing shipbuilding industry, in particular. The group reported that it now has a share of over 60-percent in the mediumspeed, four-stroke propulsion engine market.

Last year's order inflow is the largest achieved by the parent company for Augsburg in 100 years. The first vessels were provided with diesel engine propulsion in 1903.

Before 2003. the record year for marine engine orders at the works was 1938, when the tally amounted to 635,000-kW.

Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 24, Mar 2004

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