Wärtsilä to maintain Viking Grace LNGPac system

Viking Grace LNGPac system comprises onboard liquid natural gas bunkering, two storage tanks, and handling equipment with related safety and automation systems

APRIL 19, 2018 — Wärtsilä and Finnish ferry company Viking Line, have signed an Optimized Maintenance agreement for the Wärtsilä LNGPac system onboard the passenger ferry Viking Grace, the first passenger ferry to pioneer the use LNG as a fuel.

This is the first Optimized Maintenance agreement to be made for Wärtsilä LNGPac, a complete gas handling system for ships fueled by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The agreement also includes Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) and online support for the Wärtsilä LNGPac system.

Additionally, Wärtsilä is extends its existing Optimized Maintenance agreement for Viking Line’s Viking Grace ferry for another five years. Signed in late 2017, this agreement enables the planning and scheduling of Viking Grace’s maintenance procedures to suit the shipowner’s business operations, thus improving their long-term cost predictability.

A new feature for the LNGPac agreement is Wärtsilä’s Condition Based Maintenance system which gathers information on the average gas flow, the temperatures of the heat exchangers, the use of energy, and the pressure of the LNG pumps. The data helps in planning and scheduling the above-mentioned maintenance procedures that improve cost predictability and uptime.

Wärtsilä LNGPac is a complete fuel gas handling system for LNG fuelled ships. On Viking Grace, it comprises onboard liquid natural gas bunkering, two storage tanks, and handling equipment with related safety and automation systems that have been developed by Wärtsilä.

“Environmental considerations are, along with the need to optimize operational efficiency, high on the agenda of Viking Line,” says Ulf Hagström, Senior Vice President, Marine Operations & NB at Viking Line Oyj. “Wärtsilä is a forerunner in dual-fuel and other environmentally sound technology and has repeatedly shown its excellence in technical assistance and service for Viking Line and Viking Grace. With this agreement, we will be able to utilize the full potential of Wärtsilä’s knowledge and know-how.”

In addition to the LNGPac, Wärtsilä equipment in the Viking Grace includes four Wärtsilä 50DF main engines running on LNG, the transverse bow and stern tunnel thrusters, two stainless steel fixed pitch, built-up main propellers with complete propeller shaft lines and environmentally sound shaft line seal systems to Viking Grace.