KamAZ has successfully adapted its own 13-liter diesel engine for use on ships, thereby replacing the widely used Volvo units worldwide. Sergey Kogogin, CEO of the automotive plant, reported this to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a working meeting on May 5, 2026.
Last year, we carried out "marinization," that is, for the use of this 13-liter engine on ships. Mostly Volvo Penta is used worldwide, we made a replacement.
Previously, this engine was developed for the new generation of K5 trucks, but the company's engineers expanded its scope of application. In 2025, specialists carried out the so-called "marinization" — a set of modifications that allow the engine to operate correctly in marine and river conditions: with increased humidity, vibrations, and prolonged loads.
According to Kogogin, KamAZ diesel engines are already used not only in automotive technology, but also in agricultural machinery, on diesel locomotives, and in distributed energy as a basis for electric generators. Now, the shipbuilding industry has been added to this list.
The President noted that such an engine would be in demand in domestic shipbuilding.
The adapted unit retains the key parameters of the original version: a working volume of 13 liters, high fuel efficiency, and compliance with modern environmental standards. Engineers strengthened anti-corrosion protection, refined the cooling system, and adapted the control elements to the specifics of marine systems.