Maersk selects Wärtsilä hybrid solution to support decarbonisation efforts
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The technology group Wärtsilä will supply its Wärtsilä HY Module, a containerised hybrid battery power and energy storage system to Maersk Supply Service, the Denmark based provider of offshore marine services and integrated solutions for the global energy sector. The Wärtsilä system will support Maersk’s goal of reducing the carbon intensity of its fleet by 50 percent before the end of this decade. The order with Wärtsilä was placed in May 2021, according to the company's release.
The hybrid power conversion will be carried out on the ‘Maersk Minder’, a deep water anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel during the early part of 2022. This is believed to be the world’s first AHTS hybrid battery conversion. The expectation is that the Wärtsilä HY system will decrease fuel consumption, and therefore also carbon emissions, by 15 percent. The conversion will also reduce the vessel’s maintenance requirements while increasing operational performance.
The main system components are the hybrid drive, the energy storage system (ESS), and the transformer. Control and monitoring of the hybrid system is handled by the energy management system (EMS). Together, the system achieves peak shaving, spinning reserve, and significant efficiency improvement by running the engines at optimal load and using the batteries to absorb a large proportion of the load fluctuations.
Wärtsilä has also supplied the full engine room scope for this vessel, including the engines, thrusters, propeller arrangement, seals and bearings, as well as the integrated automation and planned maintenance systems.
Modern smart marine electric and power systems, such as Wärtsilä HY are supporting decarbonisation through the increasing use of electrical solutions, renewable energy and the evolution of propulsion design to create greater flexibility and efficiency. The result is that decarbonisation can be not only environmentally desirable, but also commercially attractive to ship owners and operators.
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 2020, Wärtsilä's net sales totalled EUR 4.6 billion with approximately 18,000 employees. The company has operations in over 200 locations in more than 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.