Kawasaki Admits to Altering Marine Engine Test Results Amid Industry Scandal

Kawasaki Heavy Industries has admitted to altering test results for its marine engines in order to meet required specifications, becoming the third Japanese engine manufacturer to do so. While the company assures that the safety of the engines was not compromised, the manipulated tests could affect calculations for NOx emissions.

Following similar revelations at other engine manufacturers, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism requested Kawasaki to conduct an investigation into the matter. This scandal first came to light in February 2024 when a whistleblower exposed IHI Power Systems for altering fuel consumption data, followed by Hitachi Zosen confirming similar actions in July.

Internal reports from IHI revealed that over half of the engines shipped did not meet specifications, with nearly 4,900 marine engines affected. Hitachi also disclosed that over 1,300 engines had their test results altered since 1999. Kawasaki, on the other hand, confirmed the misconduct in July and has initiated an internal investigation to address the issue and prevent future incidents.

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