Wartsila in New Contract for Gas Shipping

Wärtsilä, the Finnish maker of marine and energy infrastructure, will supply a complete dual-fuel propulsion package for two new liquefied ethylene gas (LEG)/liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers being built for Anthony Veder, the Netherlands-based shipping company specialised in gas transportation.

The contract was signed with AVIC-International Shanghai and Avic-Dingheng Shipbuilding Co. Ltd yard late last year. The ships are being built at the yard and they will operate in the North Sea area.

In a statement, the company said that the package, which includes the main and auxiliary engines, gear boxes and controllable pitch propellers, will be delivered in June 2013, and the tankers are scheduled for delivery in mid 2014.

The Wärtsilä dual-fuel (DF) main and auxiliary engines will allow the ships to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG), which minimises their environmental footprint. However, fuel flexibility, a primary benefit of the Wärtsilä DF engine technology, means that conventional marine diesel fuels can also be used if required. The switch between fuel types is made seamlessly without loss of power or speed.

The use of Wärtsilä’s dual-fuel engine technology will enable these tankers to sail without restrictions in Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAs) and Nitrogen Emission Control Areas (NECAs). Natural gas is the most environmentally sound fuel today, and it fulfils current actual and known future marine emissions legislation coming into force in 2016.

More than 2000 gas fuelled Wärtsilä engines are now in commercial operation in both land-based and marine applications. In total, these have accumulated more than 7 million operational running hours.