Wärtsilä solutions selected for Irish Sea battery hybrid RoPax
Written by Nick Blenkey
The ferry will serve the Heysham, England, to Douglas, Isle of Man, Irish Sea route
The 132 meter long RoPax ferry on order for the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. (IOMSP) at South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Mipo Dockyard will feature a range of Wärtsilä solutions.
The ferry will serve the Heysham, England, to Douglas, Isle of Man, Irish Sea route and Wärtsilä has worked closely with the owner to develop a customized integrated hybrid solution based on the ship’s operating profile and customer-specific requirements. Reliability, efficiency, and low operating costs were key considerations.
Central to the design is the Wärtsilä 31 engine. Recognized by Guinness World Records as being the world’s most efficient four-stroke diesel engine, it can also utilize artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in a condition based maintenance regime.
“We have selected Wärtsilä as their solution brings notable advantages in terms of system integration and operational optimization,” says Jim Royston, Fleet Operations and Project Manager at IOMSP. “It will also have the flexibility to take advantage of alternative future fuels as they become available. Wärtsilä has the experience to deliver a state-of-the-art bridge to propeller solution, along with the track-record needed for this complex newbuild project.”
FUTURE-PROOF
“The hybrid solution, combining highly efficient engines and energy storage, is increasingly being seen as a practical means for meeting today’s environmental and operating challenges. This solution lowers emission levels and extends the time between engine overhauls, and is an effective future-proof model for ship owners,” says Karl Hinks, Sales Manager, Wärtsilä Marine Power.
The Wärtsilä scope includes the Wärtsilä 31 engines, electrical and automation including Wärtsilä’s Low Loss Concept (LLC), the energy storage system, and propulsion machinery including the transverse thrusters.
Wärtsilä will also supply the latest NACOS Platinum integrated navigation system along with a newly developed, ground-breaking Bridge Console Design and its Aquarius UV Ballast Water Management system.
The equipment is scheduled for delivery to the shipyard in the latter part of 2021.
