Wärtsilä Hamworthy signs scrubber deal with Meyer Werft
Wärtsilä Hamworthy, the world's leading marine scrubbing technology manufacturer, today announced an agreement with Meyer Weft, well known for the construction of huge, modern and highly sophisticated cruise vessels. Wärtsilä Hamworthy will provide a total of four hybrid scrubber systems for two vessels under construction at Meyer Weft’s shipyard in Germany for Royal Caribbean International, the Company press release said.
The choice of scrubbers for Royal Caribbean’s new ‘Sunshine’ class vessels enables these ships to travel anywhere in the world, as the scrubbers will ensure compliance for the 2015 Emission Control Area (ECA) 0.1% sulphur limit, as well as the worldwide 0.5% limit from 2020 and the impending North American ECA, by removing sulphur emissions and harmful particulates from the vessel's exhaust. The order for these ‘Sunshine’ class vessels is included in Wärtsilä Hamworthy’s second quarter 2012 order book.
The solution chosen by Meyer Werft and Royal Caribbean not only ensures universal compliance with sulphur limits, allowing maximum choice over voyage routes and destinations; it also allows significant flexibility in the operation of the scrubber itself. The hybrid approach allows switching between open-loop and closed-loop scrubbing. This means that at sea, scrubbing using only sea water can be enabled but while manoeuvring or in port the system can be closed, re-circulating the water already within the scrubber.
Sigurd Jenssen, Director, Exhaust Gas Cleaning, Wärtsilä Environmental Solutions commented: “These orders from a world-leading cruise line further validates scrubbing technology as a credible, efficient and cost effective way of achieving ECA compliance. This order is clearly a considerable recognition of Wärtsilä Hamworthy’s ability to help organisations to meet that challenge.”
Royal Caribbean’s two ‘Sunshine’ class vessels are currently under construction, the first vessel is due for delivery in autumn 2014 with the second expected in spring 2015. Each will be able to accommodate 4,100 passengers.
On 31st January 2012, Hamworthy was acquired by Wärtsilä Corporation. The official name is now Wärtsilä Hamworthy Ltd. It is the world's leading marine scrubbing technology manufacturer, supplying cutting-edge, on-board exhaust gas emissions reduction solutions to the global marine industry. The data from operational Wärtsilä Hamworthy Seawater Scrubber units confirm greater than 98% sulphur oxide gas removal and up to 80% particulate removal, meaning with full installation vessels are ECA compliant and provide an unrivalled reduction in harmful ship emissions.
Wärtsilä is a global leader in complete lifecycle power solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising technological innovation and total efficiency, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2011, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 4.2 billion with approximately 18,000 employees. The company has operations in nearly 170 locations in 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki, Finland.