Wärtsilä helps short-sea go LNG
Written by Nick Blenkey
5,800 DWT LO/LO vessels will operate in the Baltic and North Seas and will be Finnish/Swedish Ice Class 1A classified. (Image copyright: Wijnne & Barends)
Four new next-generation 5,800 DWT LO/LO (lift-on, lift-off) short-sea cargo vessels being built at the WuHu Shipyard in China will be among the first-ever of their type to be LNG-fueled.
Ordered by Netherlands-based Wijnne & Barends Chartering, an affiliate of the Spliethoff Group, the ships will feature LNG propulsion and storage systems provided by Wärtsilä.
Because of space restrictions on short-sea cargo ships, Wärtsilä developed a customized solution in close cooperation with the naval architect and the owners that allows the Wärtsilä LNGPac storage and supply system to be installed below deck without compromising the cargo hold space.
Additionally, the propulsion efficiency will be optimized using Wärtsilä’s Opti Design capabilities that tailor the propeller and HP nozzle to specifically align with the vessel’s hull. These integrated technologies will be supported via Wärtsilä’s Data Collection Unit (WDCU) with iCloud based services and remote monitoring to optimize operability, fuel economy, and periodic maintenance.
The four ships will each have a Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel main engine, a Wärtsilä gearbox, a Wärtsilä controlled pitch propeller (CPP) with HP nozzle, and a Wärtsilä LNGPac system.
The equipment will be delivered to the shipyard in fourth quarter 2020, and the first vessel is expected to be delivered in fall 2021.
“Our recognized leadership in LNG technologies is again shown with this order. Wärtsilä’s expertise in delivering fully integrated systems, and our emphasis on partnering with customers and other stakeholders to develop the optimal solution can lead to state-of-the-art vessels, as we have here,” says Luuk Hijlkema, Account Manager, Sales, Wärtsilä Marine.
“We are very pleased to have these next-generation sustainable vessels,” says Ad Toonen, Technical Director, Wijnne & Barends. “Minimizing our environmental footprint has long been a focal point for us, and the reduction of emissions is a fundamental part of this. The new vessels running on LNG fit well into our continuous drive for greener operations
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