Wärtsilä Corporation, the Finnish engineering group, says it has been awarded the contract by Gdansk Shiprepair Yard "Remontowa" S.A., to supply a comprehensive scope of engines, propulsion machinery, integrated automation systems, and gas handling systems required for the mid-life upgrading of two RoPax ferries and their conversion to operate on LNG fuel.

The ferries, Spirit of British Columbia and the Spirit of Vancouver, are the flagship vessels of British Columbia Ferry Services based in Victoria, British Columbia, in Canada. They are of about 18,700 gross tons each and they were built in Germany in 1993-94.

The work on the first of these ships will be carried out during the 2017-18 winter season, and during the following winter season for the second vessel. “This means that the time allowed for completing the work is just seven months, including a delivery voyage of more than one month each way. This demanding schedule requires excellent logistics and integrated planning between Wärtsilä and the shipyard,” the company said in a statement.

The Wärtsilä equipment will be delivered to the shipyard in mid 2017 and mid 2018 prior to the arrival of the vessels. The complexity of this project required intensive preparations between Wärtsilä and Remontowa, as well as detailed LNG feasibility studies.

"Wärtsilä's unique capabilities as a systems integrator, together with the company's unmatched portfolio of products, systems and solutions, was an essential element in bringing the project planning to fruition. Wärtsilä has also been able to demonstrate its ability to undertake extended responsibilities beyond merely supplying the new equipment and upgrading the propulsion and manoeuvring installations," the company said in a statement.