The technology group Wärtsilä has won the contract to supply the engines and a range of its electric solutions for two new ferries under construction at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai) in China, the company said in its release. The ships are being built for Finnlines, a part of the Grimaldi Group, and are designed to incorporate the latest technical and environmental concepts. The order for the engines was placed in July 2020, with the remaining Wärtsilä equipment ordered in September 2020.
The two ‘Superstar’ vessels will operate between Finland and Sweden across the Baltic Sea. They will feature Wärtsilä 46F main engines, thrusters, and a state-of-the-art electric package. This includes a hybrid shaft generator system comprising a fully integrated Multidrive capable of driving the shaft generators in both directions as motors and/or generators. The package also includes the thruster control system, and a highly efficient energy management system for performance optimisation. This will enable the vessels to operate free of emissions on either batteries or shore power while in port.
“This investment is aimed at energy efficiency and emissions reduction and is part of our intention to lead the development of energy-efficient transport services in the Baltic Sea region. We have Wärtsilä solutions in most of our ships, so we are familiar with the efficiency and reliability they offer,” says Mikael Lindholm, Head of the Newbuilding Department at Finnlines.
The 230 metres long ferries will be capable of carrying approximately 1,100 passengers and will have 5,100 lane metres for rolling freight. The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery to the yard commencing in spring 2022, and the vessels are expected to enter operational service in 2023.
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.