Volvo Penta India Secures Large Engine Order
Volvo Penta India has secured an order for forty D12MH-350 from Sesa Goa for powering their iron ore barges which will ply the Mandovi & Zuari rivers in Goa, on the Westcoast of India. Sesa Goa is India’s largest producer and exporter of iron ore in the private sector. As a first phase of their fleet expansion plan Sesa Goa will induct twenty 80m barges powered by Volvo Penta 2 x D12MH-350 engines.
The IRS (India Register of Shipping) approved engines will be delivered from Oct 2010 to March 2011. Sesa Goa themselves will build three barges and the balance will be built by Waterways shipyard, Goa and Vinayaga shipyard, Mumbai. The order was won against stiff competition from local engine manufacturer. The facts and figures of D12MH engines operating currently in Goa for similar barge application were the key factor for considering Volvo Penta power. Positive feed back from the current barge owners on ‘fuel savings’ and ‘no trip loss’ further strengthened Sesa Goa’s decision in favour of Volvo Penta. “It will be a great challenge for us to support a corporate fleet owner like Sesa Goa, but we are committed to set a bench mark in the Indian marine industry”, says Mr. Prabhakaran, Head of Volvo Penta operations in India.
Sesa Goa is not new to the Volvo Group in India. They are already a key customer with large fleet of Volvo Articulated Haulers and construction equipments. Sesa Goa started in 1954, is one of India’s largest producers and exporter of iron ore in the private sector and is on course to be in the league of top four iron ore producing companies in the world. Apart from Iron ore it also produces pig iron and metallurgical coke. Sesa Goa was acquired by Vedanta Resources Plc. in 2008. Sesa Goa places a strong emphasis on health, safety and environment.