Hitachi Zosen admits falsifying engine fuel consumption data for 25 years

9 July 2024

Japan’s Hitachi Zosen has apologized to customers around the world after it discovered its marine business unit was altering fuel consumption data on engines during their shop tests. The engines were manufactured by Hitachi Zosen Corporation and its two subsidiaries, Hitachi Zosen Marine Engine Co., Ltd. and IMEX Co., Ltd.

The company is the second major Japanese marine engine manufacturer to confirm that engineers had routinely altered data to ensure it met contract specifications. In April, IHI Power Systems revealed that more than 4,000 of its engines had falsified fuel economy data.

Hitachi Zosen has found that fuel consumption data has been overwritten during shop tests for a total of 1,364 engines, including 68 engines for Japanese-flagged vessels and the balance for non-Japanese flag vessels. According to an internal investigation, the practice started in 1999.

The company reported the findings to the Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). The Ministry said it will investigate the matter further and release their findings and measures to prevent recurrence by the end of August. The Ministry will also conduct emission surveys on the affected ships to confirm compliance with the applicable NOx emission standards.

Hitachi Zosen Marine Engine is currently owned by Hitachi Zosen (65%) with an investment from Imabari Shipbuilding Co. (35%). The business dates to 1950 and holds licenses from both MAN Energy Solutions and WinGD. It was spun off from the parent in 2022 to its current ownership. Hitachi Zosen set up IMEX in 1987 and merged it into its current structure in 1999.

Source: The Maritime Executive