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Wartsila to power Mediterranean’s first gas-fueled ferry

Written by Marine Log Staff
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OCTOBER 14, 2016—A new Ropax vessel under construction at LaNaval shipyard in Spain will be the Mediterranean’s first gas-fueled ferry and will feature an extensive array of Wärtsilä propulsion equipment and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) systems.

Under a contract with Spain’s Construcciones Navales del Norte SL (LaNaval) shipyard, Wärtsilä will provide the design and supply of the LNG power and propulsion installation for a new Ropax ferry. There is also an option for a second ferry.

Spanish owner Baleària expects the ferry to enter service to the Balearic Islands in 2019. It will not only be the first gas-fueled ferry in the Mediterranean, but also one of the largest in Europe at 232 meters, with a capacity of 331 vehicles and 1,700 passengers.

Wärtsilä will also provide inclusive project support services to the shipyard, including integration engineering and on-site consulting, as well as commissioning of the combined systems.

Because of the ship’s extensive accommodation facilities and the need to prioritize passenger comfort, stringent standards to reduce noise and vibration will be applied to Wärtsilä’s main and auxiliary engines, propellers, and maneuvering thrusters.

CLEANER AND GREENER
By sailing on natural gas, the environmental footprint of the vessel will be greatly reduced. In comparison to standard marine diesel fuel, Wärtsilä’s LNG solution reduces CO2 emissions by 25%, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 85%, while sulfur and particulate matter are virtually entirely eliminated.

The full Wärtsilä scope of supply for this contract includes four 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel main engines, four 9-cylinder Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines, the Wärtsilä LNGPac fuel storage and management system, two twin/single out gearboxes, two Wärtsilä Controllable Pitch Propellers with Wärtsilä ProTouch control system, two Wärtsilä transverse thrusters, plus comprehensive engineering, project management, and on-site yard support services. The Wärtsilä equipment will be delivered to the shipyard in mid-2017.

“Baleària, the owners of this new ferry, appreciate the importance of LNG fuel in providing a cleaner marine environment,” says Aaron Bresnahan, Vice President, Sales, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions. “Wärtsilä, with a track record of more than 1,500 gas-fuelled engines with 16 million running hours, has by far the most experience in dual fuel power and propulsion installations. Furthermore, our capability to assume responsibility for the combined ship systems, plus our strong service support and training facilities were other important considerations,” says Bresnahan. 

“In our current order book at LaNaval, we have two vessels that will be powered by dual-fuel engines: a multi-purpose cable laying vessel and this Ropax vessel for Baleària. For both ships, LaNaval has selected Wärtsilä as the supplier of the DF engines, and we have also chosen the company’s LNGPac fuel system. We made this decision based on Wärtsilä’s experience in dual-fuel technology,” says Javier Angulo, Deputy Managing Director and Sales Director at LaNaval.

“The output power from the Wärtsilä engines will allow the ship to reach a speed of 24 knots. Their technology will enable us to be highly efficient and competitive with our passenger and goods services,” says Guillermo Alomar, Baleària’s Fleet Director.

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