Wärtsilä waterjets to power new Danish high-speed ferry

The technology group Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply four of its waterjets plus the hydraulics and control system for a new 109 metre long high-speed RoPax ferry. The ship is being built at the Austal Ships Pty yard in Australia for Molslinjen A/S of Denmark. The order with Wärtsilä was booked in May 2017, the Finnish Corporation said on Wednesday.

Wärtsilä’s compact axial flow jet solution was considered the most appropriate choice for this vessel, since it offered the customer optimal weight and performance criteria for the ship’s mission profile.

“This is a prestigious newbuild project and we are proud that our waterjets have been selected to drive this high-speed ferry. The proven design and reliable performance of the Wärtsilä solution were deciding factors in the winning of this contract,” says Arto Lehtinen, Vice President, Propulsion, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.

“We have worked successfully with Wärtsilä for a number of years on many naval and commercial projects. We know and trust the quality and performance of their products and we find Wärtsilä to be a valued, reliable partner for us,” says, Penelope Patterson, Head of Supply Chain, Austal Ships Pty.

The new vessel will be an all aluminium catamaran having a top speed of 40 knots. It will be equipped with two full vehicle decks for 425 cars, or 610 lane metres for trucks and up to 232 cars. The ship will be able to carry more than 1000 passengers. When delivered, the contracted route for the vessel is the crossing of the Kattegat between Aarhus and Odden.

The ship is scheduled for delivery during the fourth quarter of 2018, and the Wärtsilä equipment will be delivered to the yard in May 2018.

Wärtsilä modular waterjets feature a compactly designed axial pump with excellent efficiency, cavitation, and noise characteristics. The high performance components are made of stainless steel to prevent wear and corrosion, while the water lubricated bearing in the stator bowl provides an environmentally friendly solution. The inlet design is tailored to the outline and operational profile of each individual vessel.