Wärtsilä to design, equip Mid East’s first LNG harbor tug

Written by Nick Blenkey
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NOVEMBER 18, 2014 — Drydocks World (DDW), Dubai, UAE, has contracted Wärtsilä to design and supply the propulsion and other equipment for a new harbor tug that will operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The 29 m long tug will be the first harbor tug in the Mid East to operate on gas and will be the first of a series of nine such vessels to be built and operated by DDW.

The project is part of a “green”initiative ly the Dubai government intended to set an example for promoting environmental sustainability throughout the region.

“We are happy to work with Wärtsilä to promote a green image for our harbor work. Wärtsilä is a solution provider with vast experience and expertise in gas fuel systems. The company has a strong local presence and is capable of providing the support needed,” says Mr Khamis Juma Buamim, Chairman DDW .

Wärtsilä is to provide a full scope of solutions for this Eco tug, emphasizing both the company’s leading position in enabling the use of LNG as a marine fuel, and its unique capability to provide a full range of solutions from initial design to lifecycle support. In all,

Wärtsilä will supply the ship design, two 9-cylinder Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel engines, Wärtsilä Steerable Thrusters (WST), type WST-18 Compact thrusters, the automation equipment, and the Wärtsilä LNGPac system.

The Wärtsilä LNGPac is a complete fuel gas handling system for LNG fueled vessels that includes the bunkering station, the LNG tank and related process equipment, as well as the control and monitoring system.

With the Wärtsilä WST-18 thrusters are part of the new Wärtsilä Steerable Thruster (WST) Compact series, desogned to provide optimal efficiency, high hydrodynamic performance and easier maintenance. By achieving outstanding efficiency at different power outputs, the WST Compact series reduces fuel consumption,further lowering the vessel’s environmental footprint.

“The shift towards the use of LNG fuel is building up speed across the world,” says Mr Ibrahim Behairy, Sales Director, Middle East, Wärtsilä Ship Power.”We at Wärtsilä feel proud that we have been at the forefront of this movement, first through the development of dual-fuel engine technology, and then by developing a full range of integrated solutions serving the complete gas value chain. This will be the first harbor tug in the Middle East to operate on gas, which indicates the growing importance of environmental issues everywhere.”

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