Wärtsilä Hybrids For New RoRo Ferries

Wärtsilä announced it will supply its Hybrid Power Conversion system for three new RoRo ferries being built at the Nanjing Jinling shipyard in China for Finnlines, a part of the Italian Grimaldi Group. The 238 m vessels will serve on Finnlines’ routes.

The hybrid system, which includes a 5000 kWh energy storage system, will enable the ships to operate with zero emissions while in port and meet the Registro Italiano Navale (RINA) Green Plus class notation. They will also have Ice Class classification 1A Super, Wärtsilä said.

“Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine approach to technology development aims at delivering highly efficient solutions with minimal impact on the environment,” said Mikael Lindholm, head of the Newbuilding department at Finnlines. “This order is one more example of how we turn this approach into practical and reliable reality.”

Wärtsilä’s equipment, which also includes in-line shaft generators, power take-off/take in converters, and transformers, is scheduled for delivery to the yard in the second half of 2020.

“These new ferries will be among the most environmentally sustainable ships of their type,” said Finnlines CEO Emanuele Grimaldi. “Finnlines is a frontrunner in the development of hybrid power ships, of marine battery packs and of energy management systems. By investing in research & development and by teaming with its suppliers, Finnlines aims at meeting well on time all the ambitious environmental targets set by the IMO and by the international community for shipping.”