Wärtsilä Supplying LNG Solution For Short-Sea Cargo Vessels

Wärtsilä will supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion and storage systems for four new next-generation short-sea cargo vessels being built at the WuHu Shipyard in China.

The ships will be among the first of their type to be powered by LNG fuel, according to Wärtsilä. Because of space restrictions on short-sea cargo ships, Wärtsilä said it developed a customized solution in close cooperation with the naval architect and the owners that enables the Wärtsilä LNGPac storage and supply system to be installed below deck without compromising the cargo hold space. Wärtsilä also said the propulsion efficiency will be optimized as a result of Wärtsilä Opti Design capabilities that tailors the propeller and HP nozzle to specifically align with the vessel’s hull. These integrated technologies will be supported via Wärtsilä’s Data Collection Unit (WDCU) with iCloud based services and remote monitoring to optimise operability, fuel economy, and periodic maintenance.

“Our recognized leadership in LNG technologies is again shown with this order. Wärtsilä’s expertise in delivering fully integrated systems, and our emphasis on partnering with customers and other stakeholders to develop the optimal solution can lead to state-of-the-art vessels, as is we have here,” said Luuk Hijlkema, account manager, Sales, Wärtsilä Marine.

The ships were ordered by Wijnne & Barends Chartering based in the Netherlands, an affiliate of the Dutch Spliethoff Group.

The four ships will each have a Wärtsilä 34DF main engine, a Wärtsilä gearbox, a Wärtsilä controlled pitch propeller (CPP) with HP nozzle and a Wärtsilä LNGPac system. The equipment will be delivered to the yard during Q4 2020, and the first vessel is expected to be delivered during autumn 2021.

The 5800 DWT Lo-Lo (lift-on, lift-off) vessels will operate in the Baltic and North Seas and will be Finnish/Swedish Ice Class 1A classified. Six previously ordered vessels for Wijnne & Barends, which are already under construction, are also being fitted with Wärtsilä main engines and CPP propellers.