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Wärtsilä admits some fuel consumption tests were manipulated

The growing scandal of false engine testing, which has already snared MAN Diesel & Turbo, has hit shipping’s other largest engine manufacturer.

Wärtsilä Corporation announced today that following a global internal audit, deviations in certain fuel consumption measurement tests were detected at Wärtsilä’s delivery centre in Trieste in Italy. The deviations are on average 1% of fuel consumption. Of all Wärtsilä engine deliveries a total of 2% may have been affected.

“It is to be noted that the engines in question have fulfilled the regulatory and classification society requirements, and the potentially affected vessels have met sea trial requirements. According to our evaluation, the customer impact of the deviations is marginal,” the Finnish company said in a release.

Wärtsilä said “corrective actions” have been taken.

“Wärtsilä requires all its employees to act in accordance with internal guidelines as well as laws and regulations. We deeply apologise for any loss in trust caused by this violation to our policies and corporate values, and we will immediately start reaching out to our customers,” said Wärtsilä’s president and CEO Jaakko Eskola.

Wärtsilä’s main rival MAN paid a fine over its misleading fuel consumption claims five years ago, in a case that reignited last October with IM Skaugen pursuing the engine manufacturer for further claims. MAN’s main shareholder is Volkswagen, which is embroiled in a huge emissions falsification scandal likely to set the German car manufacturer billions of euros.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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