Wärtsilä 31SG pure gas engine makes marine market debut

The highly efficient Wärtsilä 31SG pure gas engine is now available for marine applications

Wärtsilä has launched the Wärtsilä 31SG pure gas engine for marine market applications. It is based on its successful Wärtsilä 31 platform, the diesel version of which has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s most efficient four-stroke diesel.

Wärtsilä says the 31SG engine further reduces the total cost of ownership and the environmental footprint for vessels operating in regions with a developed gas infrastructure.

Following the introduction of dual-fuel engine technology in the 1990s, LNG has become established as a viable, attractive marine fuel. This has led to the rapid expansion of the global LNG bunkering infrastructure, setting the stage for a larger scale application of pure gas engines in the marine and offshore sectors.

“The highly efficient Wärtsilä 31SG moves the industry forward by providing owners and operators with a practical means for lowering costs and enhancing environmental sustainability,” says Rasmus Teir, Product Manager, Wärtsilä Marine. “The gas-only focus and lean-burn spark ignition technology allows for further optimisation of thermal efficiency, while lowering greenhouse gas emissions and facilitating adaptations for alternative heavier gas fuels, such as LPG,

Wärtsilä has an extensive track record with SG lean-burn technology, with more than 1,800 engines delivered and 37 million running hours accumulated in land-based energy applications.

The Wärtsilä 31SG was introduced to the energy market in 2017, and now builds on this pedigree to offer reliable pure gas solutions with low lifecycle costs to marine customers.

The increasing adoption of hybrid propulsion offers additional opportunities for pure gas engines. The Wärtsilä 31SG is well suited for hybrid applications, as it provides exceptional thermal efficiency along with investment cost reductions that help offset the additional cost of energy storage. Pairing the Wärtsilä 31SG with battery packs also enables designing for redundancy, while securing the highest total system efficiency.