Four new next-generation short-sea cargo vessels being built at the WuHu Shipyard in China will feature LNG propulsion and storage systems provided by the technology group Wärtsilä, the company said in its release.
The ships have been ordered by Wijnne & Barends Chartering based in the Netherlands, an affiliate of the Dutch Spliethoff Group. The order with Wärtsilä was placed in December. The ships will be among the first-ever of their type to be powered by LNG fuel. Because of space restrictions on short-sea cargo ships, Wärtsilä developed a customised solution in close cooperation with the naval architect and the owners that allows the Wärtsilä LNGPac storage and supply system to be installed below deck without compromising the cargo hold space.
Furthermore, the propulsion efficiency will be optimised as a result of Wärtsilä's 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.
The four ships will each have a Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel 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.
About Wärtsilä:
Wärtsilä is a global leader in smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation, total efficiency and data analytics, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2018, Wärtsilä's net sales totalled EUR 5.2 billion with approximately 19,000 employees. The company has operations in over 200 locations in more than 80 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
