The technology group Wärtsilä will provide a complete LNG package, comprising the Wärtsilä 31DF engine, gearbox, and LNGPac storage, supply and control system for two new ferries being built on behalf of Ferry Sunflower, a subsidiary of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), the company said in its release. The ships are being built at Mitsubishi’s Shimonoseki shipyard in Japan, and will be the first LNG-fuelled ferries to be built in Japan. The order with Wärtsilä was booked in the second quarter of 2020. This newbuild project has been adopted for Japan’s energy conservation rating system for coastal ships, a demonstration test programme to enhance operational efficiency. The Wärtsilä 31DF dual-fuel engine was chosen for these ferries specifically because of its very high efficiency. It also provides safe and continuous gas mode operation, which were other key requirements in the specification.
The about 200 metres long ‘Sunflower Kurenai’ and ‘Sunflower Murasaki’ will be capable of carrying approximately 763 passengers, 136 trucks and 100 passenger cars at a speed of 22.5 knots. They are scheduled to commence operations in 2023 on the Osaka – Beppu route.
Wärtsilä has had lengthy and strong relationships with both MOL and Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi Shipyards, for example, has delivered ferries, LNG carriers, and a seismic research vessel all with Wärtsilä engines.
Wärtsilä in brief:
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 2019, 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.