Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker to retrofit Wärtsilä solutions

The CCGS Amundsen will be the only vessel in its class to be fitted with retractable thrusters and dynamic positioning. The solutions are being supplied by Wärtsilä. [Image © Canadian Coast Guard]

Wärtsilä has won a contract for the delivery and integration engineering of two retractable thrusters and a dynamic positioning (DP) system for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) icebreaker CCGS Amundsen.

Wärtsilä was able to meet the CCG’s requirements for build quality and fitting the equipment in the existing space of the 98 meters long Arctic Class 3 Medium Icebreaker, the only vessel in its class to be fitted with retractable thrusters and DP. The new thrusters will be integrated with the existing bow thruster, which is also a Wärtsilä product.

“The Platinum DP system will exceed the functionality desired by the CCG, and will enhance the DP capacity of the vessel to perform sailing and maneuvering operations,” says Mike Ford, sales manager for Americas & DP at Wärtsilä Voyage. “By offering the most intuitive user interface on the market, Platinum DP also reduces the training requirements for successful system operation. The user interface plays a critical role in helping operators make the most of the system in the trying conditions found in Canada’s Arctic waters.”

“We continue to work closely with the CCG to ensure that we fully understand and successfully meet their requirements for specification writing, documentation and project management. Supplying the products is only part of the picture, since they need to be engineered for complete integration with the Amundsen’s existing machinery, and for this we have outstanding capabilities,” says Ian Brouwer, senior sales manager, Wärtsilä Marine Power.

The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery in September 2021.