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New version of the Wärtsilä 31DF engine reduces methane emissions by an additional 41% on average, when compared to previous market best
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: Products & services Products & services
- Published: 01 November 2023 01 November 2023
Technology group Wärtsilä has introduced a new ultra-low emissions version of its already efficient Wärtsilä 31DF engine. Whilst operating on LNG, this new version can further reduce methane emissions on a 50 percent load point by up to 56 percent and nitrogen oxide (NOx) by up to 86 percent. On a weighted average, this new technology can reduce methane emissions by 41 percent more than the standard Wärtsilä 31DF engine, which has already the lowest emission levels on the market.
The new version, which is applied on one of the four engines on board Wasaline’s Aurora Botnia ferry, has already helped the Finnish-Swedish ferry operator further reduce the Aurora Botnia’s methane emissions by 10 percent. As part of the EU co-funded Green Ray and SeaTech projects*, Wärtsilä piloted the ultra-low emissions concept onboard the Aurora Botnia with exceptional results verified through an independent study conducted in December 2022 by VTT, the Technical Research Centre of Finland. Encouraged by the positive results, Wärtsilä has now launched the new ultra-low emissions version of the Wärtsilä 31DF engine to the commercial market.
This latest collaboration forms part of a long-term partnership between Wärtsilä and Wasaline to reduce emissions onboard the Aurora Botnia, the world’s most environmentally friendly RoPax ferry today.
“We are very committed to decarbonisation, and we have worked closely with Wärtsilä to make sustainable shipping a reality. It is a goal-oriented partnership that benefits both companies, as well as the industry as a whole. We have been pleased to allow the ‘Aurora Botnia’ to be utilised as a floating laboratory, and we are excited to see the success of this latest Wärtsilä technology breakthrough,” commented Peter Ståhlberg, Managing Director of Wasaline.
Launched in 2015, the Wärtsilä 31DF engine platform is widely recognised for its exceptional fuel economy, high performance, and minimal GHG impact. The engine, as a standard version, already meets today’s regulatory requirements. The new version will enable operators to go even further in reducing methane emissions, helping to futureproof their vessels in the longer term against potentially tightening global requirements. What’s more, improving dual fuel technology to enable methane emissions reduction will have a major impact on the long-term viability of LNG as a marine fuel.
“Our work around reducing methane slip and GHG emissions is part of Wärtsilä’s effort to continuously improve efficiency and reduce emissions of our products, and this new innovation is one more very important step along the road to decarbonisation,” commented Stefan Nysjö, Vice President of Power Supply, Wärtsilä Marine Power.
Nysjö continued: “The building of an LNG fuel infrastructure has been an important factor in shipping’s transition towards cleaner operations, and Wärtsilä continues to create solutions that support this journey. Our focus has always been to improve and optimise existing solutions, and to develop exciting new ones. With this latest introduction, we are clearly delivering on this commitment.”
Although methane slip from engines is a relatively small amount, from a percentage standpoint, it is significantly more potent than CO2 – up to 28 times greater. Across the shipping industry, cutting methane emissions is one of the most effective ways to decrease overall GHG emissions from engines over the next 10 years, complementing other efforts to reduce CO2 emissions.
Kongsberg delivers 23% CO2 emissions cut for Hurtigruten ship
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: Products & services Products & services
- Published: 29 October 2023 29 October 2023
Kongsberg Maritime has delivered a 23% cut in CO2 emissions on the 121-metre passenger vessel Richard With, owned by Hurtigruten, a coastal ship operator and adventure travel company.
The vessel finished an extensive refit last summer using Kongsberg Maritime engineering and technology and has now completed its first year back in service.
Last year, Kongsberg Maritime partnered with Myklebust Verft shipyard to convert three Hurtigruten ships to hybrid technology, promising reduced emissions and quieter operations. The Richard With, built in 1993, was the first of three ships to be relaunched, in August last year. The second ship Kong Harald returned to service in May, and the final ship, Nordlys will be complete in 2025.
The project is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, with an investment value of approximately €100 million.
“We have built our last fossil fuel ship for the Norwegian Coastal Express,” said Hurtigruten Coastal Express CEO Hedda Felin. “We had the opportunity to upgrade the fleet and give the ships the best of today’s technology. Plus, it’s more environmentally friendly to retrofit a vessel than to scrap and build a new one.”
The refit programme for Richard With included installation of two hybrid shaft generators, two SaveEnergy 1,120kWh lithium-ion batteries and two Bergen B33:45V engines. It also has new tunnel thruster motors, a retractable azimuth thruster, and controllable pitch propeller blades, plus digital management systems.
“We can do the full turnover of a vessel in four or five months. An entirely new build takes much longer,” said Geir Oscar Løseth, Kongsberg Maritime’s Vice President of Sales Aftermarket Advanced Offerings.
“The vessel is also safer and smoother in the water. It gives the crew several layers of reassurance. They can operate on full battery, zero emission operation; they can run on auxiliary engines and they can run on main engines. So, there’s a high level of safety that meets the new requirements for lower-emission travel along the coast.”
Ship owners and operators are working to deal with IMO regulations on emissions reduction, particularly for active vessels.
“Our role is going to be to guide customers through this transition, with advisory services as well as the products and solutions that will make sure regulations are met. But we won’t do that simply by coming up with new products and solutions. We also need to look into existing fleets,” said Lisa Edvardsen Haugan, president of Kongsberg Maritime.
Orient Express Silenseas – the world's largest luxury sailing ship to be powered by Ingeteam equipment
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: Products & services Products & services
- Published: 16 October 2023 16 October 2023
Ingeteam has received an order to equip what will be the world's largest luxury sailing ships. Specifically, the company will design and manufacture the converters and motors that will propel the two ships that will emulate the famous Orient Express train, enabling more ecological and sustainable navigation via the latest marine technology.
The ships belong to Accor Group under the Orient Express brand, and will be built at French shipyard Chantiers de l'Atlantique. Ingeteam will supply a total of 5 motors and 5 converters for their propulsion systems. Specifically, two motors to drive the main propulsion plus the three transverse thrusters, together with the frequency converters for all of them, which will provide optimum onboard comfort thanks to their low vibration and noise. It will also develop two propulsion remote controls, to enable maximum propulsion management and efficiency with SolidSail technology.
Notably, the converters will include a ground connection to the port so that the vessels can be connected to the shore power grid whilst moored and thereby avoid having to run auxiliary engines to power hotel services, thus helping to reduce nitrogen, sulphur and carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.
The equipment will be manufactured at the company's facilities in the Basque Country where it has several production centres that produce its most technological products for the naval sector, which have equipped over 900 vessels to date.
Details of Orient Express Silenseas
Orient Express Silenseas will be the world's largest sailing ship and the benchmark ocean liner from an environmental point of view on the ultra-luxury cruise market. Orient Express Silenseas will be delivered in 2026 and be fully or significantly powered by the winds depending on weather conditions with a revolutionary technological design developed by Chantiers de lÁtlantique known as SolidSail: three rigid sails with a surface area of 1,500 meters each will be hoisted on a balestron rig, with three tilting masts reaching more than 100 meters high, able to ensure up to 100% of the propulsion in suitable weather conditions. This hybrid propulsion formula will combine wind power with a state-of-the-art engine running on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and plans to use green hydrogen once the technology is approved for ocean passenger ships, launching a new, more environmentally friendly vision of sea travel.
When the cruise ship cannot set its sails due to lack of wind, the electric propulsion supplied by Ingeteam will come into operation. Thus, the ship will be able to continue sailing without polluting and maintaining maximum comfort in terms of vibration and noise required by a vessel of such characteristics.
The ship will be 220 metres long with a tonnage of 2,5400 gross tons. It will feature 50 suites – including a monumental 900 square metre Presidential Suite - two swimming pools, two restaurants and a speakeasy bar.
Deep Lead and VRETA sign cooperation agreement
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: Products & services Products & services
- Published: 14 October 2023 14 October 2023
Deep Lead Inc. and VRETA Simulation Ab have made an agreement for VRETA to provide the Deep Lead Academy for the international maritime shipping sector worldwide.
"Deep Lead Academy will change the way leadership training for the shipping companies and the crew onboard is done today. More than ever, we need to focus on the leadership culture onboard, our interaction skills and how to develop them," says Micael Vuorio, Managing Director, VRETA Simulation Ab. "I’m confident that the cooperation between Deep Lead and VRETA will gain the international maritime shipping sector worldwide, because of the strong background from Deep Lead (25 years of scientific research and over 20 years of practical development work done including 36,000 Deep Leadership profiles and 430,000 Deep Leadership assessments) combined with over 20 years of deep knowledge from VRETA in the maritime education and training sector."
"We know today that the Deep Lead Academy is suitable for the shipping companies and the crew onboard," says Vesa Nissinen, President, Deep Lead Inc. "Today we have coached 110 seafarers in the LOBAS (Leadership onboard and shipping) project managed by The Finnish Seamen’s Mission, the Seafarers’ Pensions Fund, and the Finnish Shipowners’ Association. Our mission is to develop the leadership culture onboard the Finnish vessels. The feedback from the participants has been overwhelmingly positive. Cooperation between Deep Lead and VRETA will be the next step in this industry sector."
"Deep Lead coaching program is based on more than 25 years of scientific research and some 20 years of active, practical development work in cooperation with our customers. Our leadership training is based on the Deep Leadership method which has been developed in Finland. The model is based on scientific research. The primary goal of our Deep Leadership coaching is to help people develop their own interaction skills and learning abilities. We believe that individual learning is a prerequisite for the development of teams, groups, units, and the organization as a whole.
Deep Lead Academy is a digital coaching program focusing on developing everyday interaction skills. In Deep Lead Academy, you will be introduced to the Deep Leadership methodology and receive two 360° feedbacks to support your professional development. Deep Lead Academy is an excellent way for managers and HR to experience the applicability of the Deep Leadership method in their own organization. Deep Lead Academy is also particularly suitable for companies with a wide range of staff development needs and for individuals who want to develop their leadership skills."
Moby selects Kongsberg Maritime for emission-saving propulsion upgrade on five ro-pax ferries
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: Products & services Products & services
- Published: 13 October 2023 13 October 2023
Kongsberg Maritime has won a contract to upgrade the propulsion systems on five ro-pax ferries for Italian operator Moby. The vessel upgrades will together reduce CO2 emissions by more than 30,000 tonnes per year.
Moby operates a fleet of ro-pax ferries, operating in the western Mediterranean, including routes between the Italian mainland, Sicily, and Sardinia.
Three of the ships, the Moby Vinci, the Sharden, and the Moby Aki, will all receive a Promas Lite propulsion system, which combines rudder and propeller into one propulsion unit. Two further ships, the Moby Wonder and the Moby Tommy, will each receive re-bladed controllable pitch Kongsberg Kamewa propellers as part of their upgrade.
The Promas propulsion system integrates the controllable pitch propeller, hub cap, bulb, and rudder into one propulsive unit, increasing efficiency and manoeuvrability, and offering significant fuel savings without power losses. Available for either upgrades (Promas Lite) or for new build ships, Promas now has more than 200 references worldwide, across a range of ship types.
CEO of Moby – Achille Onorato, said: “This latest investment into upgrading our fleet demonstrates our continuing commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our operations and improving the overall service we can offer customers. By carrying out a programme of relatively simple upgrades to the propulsion systems, we can reduce our CO2 emissions by more than 30,000 tonnes per year. We’re pleased to be working with Kongsberg Maritime again on this latest project, as we draw on their expertise in efficient propeller design to transform our operations.
“We’re investing in new ships and new routes, innovative services and distribution as well as pricing strategies, a strict, quality-oriented hiring policy and uncompromising attention to safety and the environment”.
Executive Vice President, Global Customer Support, Kongsberg Maritime Jouni Raatikainen, Kongsberg Maritime’s Executive Vice President Global Customer Support, said: “This latest upgrade will deliver significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions for the five ships, and we’re delighted that Moby has again selected Kongsberg to provide an upgrade solution that supports our common goal to pursue sustainability, reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
“The Promas Lite propulsion system offers a relatively quick upgrade solution, which delivers efficiency savings and rapid return on investment. Our team at the Kongsberg Hydrodynamic Research Centre, in Sweden, has worked closely with Moby to design propellers that match the operational profile of each individual ship”.
Kongsberg Maritime has provided propulsion equipment to Moby since its early days in the 1970s when the company first started operations, purchasing several ferries from Scandinavian owners. Since then, Moby has grown significantly and invested in its fleet, including the latest new build, the Moby Fantasy.
Kongsberg Maritime has equipment on most of the Moby fleet, suppling controllable pitch propellers, tunnel thrusters and steering gear to almost all their ships.
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