Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines to power Baltic Sea vessels

Wärtsilä’s RT-flex50DF dual-fuel 2-stroke main engines have been chosen to power a series of new 1400 TEU container vessels being built for GNS Shipping GmbH, managed by Nordic Hamburg.

The ships are being built at the Yangzhou Guoyu Shipbuilding yard in China, and are expected to be in operation during late 2016. They will operate on a long-term charter contract for Containerships OY of Finland. The Wärtsilä contract was signed in August.

The series of new 1400 TEU container vessels being built for GNS Shipping GmbH & Co KG managed by Nordic Hamburg, will feature 7-cylinder Wärtsilä RT-flex50DF dual-fuel 2-stroke main engines.

Dual-fuel technology

Orders have been placed for four vessels and more ships are likely to be built as part of the same series. The selection of the new Wärtsilä RT-flex50DF engine is significant as it means that these ships will be the first container ships to use Wärtsilä's 2-stroke, low pressure, dual-fuel technology.

Introduced in 2013, this technology was hailed as being the 'game-changer' for the marine industry because of its innovative features and the fact that it makes gas fuel operation potentially possible for almost all vessel types. When operating in gas mode, the engine meets the IMO's Tier III regulations without needing of any secondary exhaust cleaning systems.

LNG fuel

"When our 2-stroke, low pressure, DF technology was introduced we knew that we had gone beyond merely extending our DF engine portfolio. This is an engine that really makes a positive difference to the global shipping sector. It not only meets the Tier III requirements when operating with gas fuel, but it also offers considerable CAPEX and OPEX savings. It is truly an engine that fits the needs of today's market," explained Rolf Stiefel, Director, 2 Stroke Sales, Wärtsilä Ship Power.

Nordic Hamburg and GNS Shipping are established customers of Wärtsilä with a number of vessels already using Wärtsilä solutions.

"When we selected the engines we looked at two factors; the economics and the environmental footprint. On both counts we found the Wärtsilä RT-flex DF type engine to be the best solution for the specific vessels and trade patterns. We are confident that the LNG concept pioneered together with Wärtsilä for these feeder container vessels will make a difference to the container trade in Europe, and will remind people that shipping is an innovative industry with the smallest possible ecological footprint when it comes to the transport of goods," commented Dr. Rowil Ponta, Managing Partner of Nordic Hamburg Group.

To find out more about the Wärtsilä RT-flex50DF engine, please visit the Wärtsilä website.

Adapted from press release by Katie Woodward

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/lng-shipping/08092014/wartsila-dual-fuel-engines-to-power-baltic-vessels-1360/