THE technology group Wärtsilä has been selected to provide the complete system design and full equipment scope for two new 9300 DWT self-discharging bulk carriers featuring hybrid propulsion. The ships will be the first of their kind to be fitted with a hybrid propulsion solution. They are being built for Norway’s Aasen Shipping at the Royal Bodewes shipyard in the Netherlands. The yard has also designed the vessels.

Wärtsilä was contacted to determine whether a hybrid installation would be beneficial for these new ships. The company then carried out a detailed study in close cooperation with Aasen Shipping, taking into consideration a broad range of relevant factors. The study determined that the extra initial investment required for the battery installation would be more than offset by the high level of achievable fuel cost savings.

The scope for each ship includes a Wärtsilä 26 main engine with gearbox and controlled pitch propeller, a DC switchboard, a battery pack, and a power management system. The equipment is scheduled to be delivered to the yard commencing in mid-2021.

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The vessels are bulk carriers fitted with excavators for loading and unloading. The excavators will be electrically powered using the battery pack, which will save fuel and be emissions-free since normally they would be diesel operated.

The investment cost for the hybrid installation is partly supported by Enova SF, the Norwegian government enterprise responsible for the promotion of environmentally-friendly production and consumption of energy.

Harald Tillung, business development manager, Wärtsilä Marine, said, “Wärtsilä’s experience and strong track record with hybrid propulsion solutions form the background to this contract. As a complete hybrid system supplier, we have again custom designed a propulsion arrangement that delivers high efficiency, lower fuel consumption, and optimal environmental sustainability”.