The new VS 4146 PLV design. Image courtesy Wärtsila

ABB said today that it has been chosen to supply Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering with energy efficient propulsion and electrical power systems for two new Wärtsila designed deep sea pipeline installation vessels (PLVs) currently on order with the South Korean shipyard.

The vessels, which were ordered by a joint venture between French oil service company Technip and Brazil’s Odebrecht Oil & Gas, will be used mainly to install umbilical and flexible flow lines and risers that connect sub-sea wells to floating installations in depths of up to 2500 meters along the coast of Brazil for Petrobras.

Developed by Wärtsila Ship Design, the vessels will be built to the newly developed VS 4146 PLV design with a solid tension capacity of 550 metric tons, and designed for optimal fuel consumption and flexible pipe laying operations.

ABB says it has been chosen to supply drives, motors and generators, medium voltage switchgear, transformers and softstarters that will provide energy efficient propulsion and a reliable power distribution system on board.  A diesel electric propulsion system will significantly reduce fuel consumption compared to traditional diesel mechanical systems. At the heart of the propulsion system is ABB’s propulsion drives, which are designed for optimized control of the propulsion motors, contributing to reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions.

The contract is valued at $18 million.

“ABB’s oil and gas industry expertise, proven marine solutions and subsea experience address the needs of the growing subsea installation service market,” said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head of ABB’s Process Automation division. “Our environmentally friendly, energy efficient solutions and solid power infrastructure systems help both oil companies and their suppliers ensure the reliable and efficient operation of their vessels from their very first day in service.”

The two identical vessels will be delivered in 2014.

Deo Juvante, image courtesy Combi International

Wärtsilä announced today that they have been contracted by Koedood Diesel Service BV to supply a complete power system, including two of its 6-cylinder Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel medium-speed engines, for a new, 135 meter dry cargo inland waterway vessel. This order extends the benefits of gas fueled operation to an inland waterway vessel, and represents a strong endorsement of gas as a marine fuel. The vessel will be part of the ECO2 Inland Vessel project, which is focused on developing innovative measures for making the inland shipping sector more economically and environmentally sound. A transition to liquefied natural gas (LNG) is widely viewed as being one of the most realistic options for significantly reducing the environmental footprint of marine transportation.

Wärtsilä 6L20DF, image courtesy Wärtsilä

This will be the first-ever medium speed, dual-fuel, mechanically driven inland waterway vessel capable of operating for 95-99 percent of the time on LNG fuel, with a minimum of pilot marine gas oil (MGO) used for ignition. The engines are also capable of operating fully on MGO. In addition to the two Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines, the scope of the order includes two fixed pitch propellers in a nozzle, the coldbox, and the LNG tanks.

The above statement may appear a bit inaccurate as Lloyd’s Register announced at the end of 2011 the delivery of the dual-fuel powered chemical tanker MT Argonon which will operate via 1,115 KW Caterpillar DF3512 engines on inland waterways, however that vessel will operate on an 80/20 mixture of gas to diesel and the CAT engines are rated as “high speed”.  Wärtsilä engines, using a slightly different technology, operate at a higher ratio of gas to diesel.

That is the primary distinction between the two vessels.

This new vessel, being built for Dutch shipowner Combi International, will set new standards in environmentally and economically sustainable operations on inland waterways in the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and France.

ECO2 Inland Vessel project

The vessel is the first of three inland vessels that will serve as pilots for innovative, environmentally sound power systems (engines and propulsion) for inland shipping. All three vessels will be designed, tested and implemented within the ECO2 Inland Vessel project.

A consortium of companies have joined forces in this project with Wärtsilä Netherlands BV as the co-ordinating partner. The other partners are Koedood Diesel service, Combi Group BV, Reederei Deymann, TNO, DST and Hochschule Emden-Leer.

The project’s goal is to identify the most efficient and economical power systems for various types of inland shipping vessels, to the ultimate benefit of the global inland shipping industry. The project is part of a larger initiative known as MariTIM (Maritime Technologies and Innovations Model region Germany-The Netherlands), sponsored by the EU.

“This ECO2 Inland Vessel project is helping the inland shipping industry to become more sustainable, whilst at the same time increasing fuel efficiency and reducing costs. Under the auspices of the project, all three pilot vessels will be monitored for up to three years in order to provide valuable input data for future generations of inland waterway vessels. The Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines have proven their reliability throughout five million running hours, which clearly indicates our leading position in this field. Wärtsilä’s dual-fuel engine technology, which is well established in ocean going applications, can now be applied to small scale LNG fuelled vessel applications,” says Bram Kruyt, Director, Inland Water Ways, Wärtsilä Services at Wärtsilä Netherlands B.V.

Wärtsilä 20DF engines

Wärtsilä’s dual-fuel (DF) engine technology allows flexibility in fuel choice, since the engines can operate either on LNG, MGO or HFO. In gas mode, harmful exhaust emissions are drastically reduced since nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are cut by at least 85 percent, CO2 emissions by some 25 percent, while sulphur oxide (SOx) and particle emissions are reduced by almost 100 percent from those produced by standard diesel fuel marine engines. The engine is fully compliant with the IMO Tier III exhaust emission regulations.

Click here for more information about Wärtsilä 20DF engine

Kawasaki Heavy Industries LNG-powered containership concept design

Wartsila’s John Hatley and Det Norske Veritas‘ Tony Teo gave an extraordinary presentation at this year’s SNAME conference in Houston last year titled, LNG as a Fuel, one that really helped to define the key characteristics of LNG, the current state of the LNG shipping industry, and why using LNG as a fuel source is unquestionably the future of the global shipping industry.

Tony Teo, DNV’s North American Business Development Director, began his presentation with an overview of his LNG and some insight from his experiences while working in Qatar.

“Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world and the largest exporter of LNG.  It’s a clean natural resource and everyone wants to use it because it is environmentally friendly.”

Properties of LNG:

• 96% methane (CH4)
• Flammable 5 to 15% conc. in air
• Liquefied at -259 deg F (-162 deg C)
• Stored in Cryogenic materials 
• Density 42% of water
• Expands 600 times 
• Cleanest burning fuel

There are a hazards associated with LNG because it is very cold.  If it spills on steel it will crack the steel right away and you can sink a ship, or a rig if you are not careful with it.  So, the handling of LNG, this special material, has to be done with safety and utmost care.

Look at the scenario today from Europe where the Baltic and the North Sea are an ECA [Emissions Control Areas], they are getting a shortage of low-sulfur fuel.  Next year, we will see the same issue and as you know, everything is on a demand and supply basis.  When the demand is high, the price will go up.

At $100 per barrel oil, the price of low sulfur oil is around $1000 per ton, and the price will definitely go up.

This is THE attraction to LNG.  If you are burning a large amount of fuel, you get cost savings by switching to LNG.

The Market for Natural Gas

John Hatley, VP Ship’s Power at Wärtsila, gives a macro perspective…

“Oil and gas companies widely recognize the US natural gas market demand as mature and overwhelming at 23 trillion cubic feet (TCF) per year, which is the largest in the world.  What comes as a surprise is illustrating that the next greatest potential gas market is the world’s commercial shipping fleet, which today consumes nearly 370 million tons of heavy fuel oil annually.

That much fuel oil is equivalent in gas terms to 15 TCF, which is two-thirds the size of the ENTIRE US gas market.  It looms out there on the horizon, but off the radar of many companies and governments due to the difficulties inherent in maritime shipping, whereas they possess a much greater awareness with other transportation modes encountered in daily life, such as cars, trucks, trains, and planes.

The reaction is telling when we provide US stakeholders with a global top down view:

Considering 8 percent of the world trade comes to the United States, the potential natural gas market is roughly 1.2 TCF.

Looking at this issue from a marketing standpoint, would your business prefer sales to a large number of small consumers, or a small number of large consumers?  Obviously the latter is easier to target as it exhibits a lower cost basis to effectively pursue, particularly when a new market such as the natural gas market is developing.

The typical gas company business plan of today takes this idea forward by seeking to target truck fleets as a key to achieving bulk sales.  It’s an easy to understand fact as many highway trucks each consume about 20,000 gallons of diesel per year, or 34,000 diesel gallon equivalents LNG.

Alternatively, let’s consider the fuel consumption numbers for a marine player.

Take a common ocean tug that burns 30 tons of diesel fuel daily, or about 200,000 gallons monthly.  This represents a couple million gallons per year, or 3.4 million diesel gallons equivalent of LNG.    Scaling this up, let’s now consider a large container ship that consumes 200 tons fuel per day.  Suddenly, your potential market for LNG has now exceeded  20 million gallons of LNG per year, per ship!

So now let’s ask the same question again, does it make more business sense to sell to a large number of small consumers, or a small number of large consumers?”

In ExxonMobil’s “Outlook for Energy” they write:

Natural gas will be the fastest-growing major fuel to 2040, with demand rising by more than 60 percent. Much of this growth will come from electric utilities and other consumers shifting away from coal in order to reduce CO₂ emissions. By 2025, natural gas—which emits up to 60 percent less CO₂ emissions than coal when used for electricity generation—will have overtaken coal as the second most popular fuel, after oil.

Demand is expected to grow in every part of the world, but especially in the Non OECD countries in the Asia Pacific region, where demand for natural gas is expected to triple over the next 30 years. The Middle East also will see significant growth, while Russia/Caspian demand flattens.

Current Operations in the Maritime LNG Sector

Glutra, the prototype for short sea, LNG-powered shipping.  Tony Teo remarks:

“The vessel needs to be refueled once every 6 days, with a bunkering time of approximately 2-hours.  Ever since she was delivered 10 years ago, she has been trading without any problem for 19 hours per day, every day.

Because of the potential explosive area of the engine room, we need the room as simple as possible so that there is no corners, or spaces that could trap any escaped gas, and the ventilators and gas detectors are all EX-certified.  Anything that is not necessary is outside the engineroom, like incinerators and gas generators etc.  We developed this technology with the Norwegian Maritime Directorate, and this is their advice to us:

‘Do a formal safety assessment, and consider a worst case scenario… an explosion.’

Therefore, we make the room as small as possible so anything that is not necessary is outside, and limit the equipment inside to the bare minimum.”

Mr. Teo continues,

“There are 23 LNG-powered vessels in operation throughout the world.  It varies from ferries, coasters, OSVs, and even the Norwegian Coast Guard.  When they need high speed, they switch to diesel, but when on normal steaming speed, they switch to LNG.”

GLUTRA, The prototype for short sea shipping (c) DNV Builder: Aker Langsten, Norway System: Gas / ElectricEngines: 4 Mitsubishi Engines (lean burn with gas pre chambers @ 2 bars & spark ignited) Speed: 12 knots

DNV announced on 19 January that they had approved in principle, a design by Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) for a 9000 TEU containership powered by LNG following DNV’s innovation concept “Quantum 9000” announced last year.  This ship is designed with a prismatic Type B LNG fuel tank that allows for more space for container cargo.  There have been no requests yet to build this ship, however the formal safety assessments for the gas supply and storage are underway between KHI and DNV.

A few challenges associated with LNG…

The bunkering process presents new and perhaps unfamiliar challenges to the operator.

Transferring cryogenic and flammable fluid is detailed process, one typically operated by engineers at the helm of  computer-controlled valves inside the ship.  From the initial hookup, throughout the transfer, and the final inert gas flushing of the lines, the engineers must be skilled in using computer technology, use proper safety equipment, and be highly process and safety-driven.

Where do you store it, and for how long?

Mr. Teo notes,

“You can store LNG for a long time.  On small ferries, you can actually store the LNG for up to 4 weeks.  The pressure will increase by only 2 or 3 bar, and the tanks are built to 10 bar pressure.  After a few weeks, or when the pressure gets up to say around 7 bar, for safety reasons it’s important to start a piece of equipment just to burn the excess pressure off.”

One of the biggest challenges facing the wide-scale adoption of LNG-powered ships is infrastructure.

LNG terminal under construction in Rotterdam, Photo: PR / Arndt

Bunkering (a.k.a refueling)…

The primary means of bunkering the short sea shipping industry in Norway and Finland is currently via trucks from a liquefaction plant to the vessels, or to a storage location with bunkering facility.  In a discussion with Dr. Pierre Sames, SVP of Strategic Research and Development at Germanischer Lloyd (GL), he commented that current studies were being conducted with the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) in an effort to develop LNG bunkering capability.

Their initial plan is to identify possible locations for a 10,000 – 20,000 cubic meter LNG terminal in Hamburg, while also looking at potential hazards such as navigational risks associated to small gas tankers operating in a relatively busy port, and the hazards associated with LNG bunkering and the simultaneous loading and unloading of containers.   Current LNG bunkering options include loading LNG on to small carriers from export terminals in Rotterdam or Belgium, and refueling container feeder vessels in Hamburg.  Dr. Sames also discussed an option for the Baltic region’s short sea ferries where instead of going through the time consuming process of refueling the fuel tanks when the ship returns to the pier, empty, or depleted LNG fuel tanks could be swapped out with newly recharged ones.  It would be a bit like swapping out the canister on an outdoor grill.

Design Concept for a Zero-Emission Container Feeder Vessel – courtesy Germanischer Lloyd

In December, Lloyd’s Register announced the delivery of MT Argonon, a 6,100-DWT dual-fueled chemical tanker to a Deen Shipping subsidiary, Argonon Shipping B.V.  We asked Lloyd’s Register’s Inland Waterway Product Manager, Bas Joormann, how the LNG distribution and storage issues had been mitigated.  His reply:

An LNG infrastructure is not yet available as this is the first inland waterway vessel using LNG as fuel.   The fact is, this is a chicken and egg situation.  As long as there are no more vessels, no real infrastructure will be provided.  The first bunkering with LNG is done in Zwijndrecht (20 km south of Rotterdam) from a truck.  At the moment, LNG bunkering stations in Rotterdam, Zwijndrecht, and Harlingen are planned.  In addition, a bunkering facility in Brunsbuttel in North Germany  is planned, however this will be for the bunkering of seagoing vessels.

Until they are operational, the bunkering will be done by trucks which bring the LNG from Zeebrugge in Belgium.  The LNG is stored on board the Argonon in a 35 m3 tank, which is situated on deck in the cargo zone.

MT Argonon, image courtesy Deen Shipping

This ship represents the first-ever LNG-fueled tanker.

“This has been a great project and it is a significant first,” said Piet Mast, Lloyd’s Register’s Marine Business Manager for Western Europe. “The nature of inland waterways traffic, which passes through or close to major population centres, makes LNG an attractive way to reduce harmful local emissions. We had to look carefully at the risks and worked closely with the owner and the regulators to ensure that they understood, and were comfortable with, the technical solutions that were developed.”

The dual-fuel system on board the Argonon is designed to burn an 80/20 mixture of natural gas and diesel, greatly reducing SOx, NOx and particulate-matter emissions compared to conventionally-powered vessels of similar size.  Some technologies being implemented by some marine engine manufacturers raise that ratio closer to 95/5, and still others use Ott0-cycle engines that burn 100% LNG.  There are trade-offs of course and the technology continues to evolve.

What are our options for meeting future emissions requirements?

We could continue to use Low Sulfur Diesel…

• Higher fuel Cost
• Loss of Lubricity, more wear
• Fuel injectors pressure loss
• Supply shortage = EXPENSIVE

We could use Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) with SOx Scrubbers…

• Confined Space
• Discharge prohibition
• Rapid corrosion
• Increased maintenance
• NOx is not removed

Or we could switch to LNG- fueled ships…

• Clean burning engines
• No fuel heating
• No Separators
• Less filtration
• Less oil pollution risk

Considering the massive Marcellus Shale gas finds in the Appalacian mountains and companies such as BG and Cheniere committing to significant US-LNG export plans, as well as multi-billion dollar gas developments off Northwestern Australia, it’s highly evident we’re in a global transformation toward a new fuel source.

A fuel source that is not only clean-burning, but an abundant natural resource.

Hamworthy's regas module at Sinopacific, image courtesy Hamworthy

Hamworthy Oil & Gas Systems has secured a contract to supply its innovative LNG regasification technology for the third Höegh LNG Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) under construction at Hyundai Heavy Industries.

Here’s how it works:

via Hamworthy

Via Hamworthy:

In this system, LNG is heated by propane in a closed loop and the propane is heated by seawater. In situations where the seawater is too cold to supply all the required heating energy, additional heat can be introduced.

The cascade concept is recommended instead of directly heat exchanging with seawater. LNG heat exchanged directly with seawater increases the risk of freezing the seawater in the heat exchanger. Propane as a secondary medium is suggested because of its thermodynamic properties with a low freezing point.

A HAZID analysis has been carried out with DNV to identify risks related to the design and operation of the regasification system. For example, it was concluded that the cascade system is a safer system than the pure seawater based.  LNG enters a cryogenic pump capable of producing the required send-out pressure (e.g. up to 130 bar has been studied). LNG at the required discharge pressure is heated in two stages.

In the first stage LNG is heated from -160°C to -10°C in a compact printed circuit heat exchanger with propane as a heating medium.

In the second stage, LNG can be heated further using seawater as a heating medium in a shell and tube heat
exchanger.

In the LNG/Propane heat exchanger, heat is exchanged against propane circulating in a closed loop. The propane enters the heat exchanger at approx. 0°C at 4.7 bar as gas. In the heat exchanging process propane is condensed, and leaves the exchanger in a liquid state at approximately -5°C.  The propane in the closed loop is then pumped by the circulating pump and heated against seawater in titanium semi welded plate heat exchangers. In these heat exchangers, the propane is evaporated and heated to 0°C before returning as gas to the printed circuit heat exchanger.

Working together with Sinopacific Offshore and Engineering (SOE), Wärtsilä Hamworthy will design and supply the system concept whilst the key equipment and fabrication will be supplied by SOE.

This partnership agreement follows on from the contract to supply a propane-seawater regasification system for the first two 170,000m3 capacity vessels signed in November last year.

Rendering courtesy Hoegh LNG

The floating regasification market is experiencing significant uptake and Höegh have projected annual growth in the LNG market of 6-7% over the coming few years.

Sveinung Støhle, Höegh LNG’s President and Chief Executive, was quoted as saying: “Our strategy to expand in the floating regasification market worldwide remains firm and we believe in strong continued growth in this segment.”

Reidar Strande, LNG Business Unit Director, Hamworthy Oil and Gas Systems said: “This contract for Höegh LNG follows on from the joint project with SOE in supplying our regasification module for the converted Golar Khannur. The module concept was a fast-track project allowing the regasification system to be almost complete before lifting onboard the vessel, with very few interfaces. Delivery of this equipment took place in November 2011.”

The Viking Lady

Building on the success of the world’s first high temperature fuel cell power pack installation on board the OSV Viking Lady, the FellowSHIP project - a joint industry R&D project experimenting with fully integrated fuel cells on board vessels and offshore platforms – said today that it is entering into the third phase of its research that will integrate battery pack power directly into the vessels power system providing a true hybrid experience.

In September 2009, the first high temperature fuel cell was installed on the Viking Lady.

Since 2009, the Eidesvik Offshore-owned Viking Lady has run for more than 18,500 hours powered by a complement of LNG-fuel and onboard fuel cell technology with an electrical output of 330 kW.  The combination has already made her one of the world’s most environmentally friendly ships and now the FellowSHIP project plans on taking its potential even further by introducing energy storage capabilities directly to the energy system, versus through the external fuel cell that was installed previously.

Once the battery pack is in place, the Viking Lady will operate using a hybrid system similar to what you’d expect see in cars, but with the potential for even higher emission reductions and shorter return on investment.

“We know that the hybrid system will reduce the energy consumption” says Bjørn-Johan Vartdal, Project Manager from Det Norske Veritas (DNV), one of three partners making up the FellowSHIP project team.  “When operating, for example, on dynamic positioning, there will be a major fuel saving potential. When in harbour, too, the ship should be able to operate on the fuel cell and its battery power alone, which will reduce emissions significantly. For environmentally sensitive areas, this will be an essential benefit. Additional benefits are related to reductions in machinery maintenance costs and in noise and vibrations.”

The project estimates that the potential benefits of the hybrid energy system could be 20 to 30 percent reduction in overall fuel consumption and CO2 emissions through smoother and more efficient operation between engines and fuel cell.  Furthermore, the return on investment period for the hybrid system is estimated to be less than two years, welcomed news for shipowners currently facing record-high fuel costs and more stringent emission guidelines.

But actual fuel savings and emission reduction figures are yet to be seen.  The FellowSHIP project is conducting a comprehensive measurement program to verify the potential benefits.

FellowSHIP (Fuel Cells for Low Emission Ships) is a joint industry R&D project experimenting with fully integrated fuel cells on board vessels and offshore platforms with the goal of making them commercially viable.  Funded solely by the Research Council of Norway, the FellowSHIP project is made up of industry partners including Eidesvik Offshore, providing the ship, Wärtsilä, providing the power, and DNV, providing the class rules.

The project is due for completion in 2013.

Signing ceremony at HHI. Photo: Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä said today that it has signed a ten year extension to a license agreement with Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Engine and Machinery Division to build Wärtsilä low-speed engines.  The agreement, signed at a ceremony on February 28 in Ulsan, South Korea, extends the partnership until at least 2021.

Wärtsilä says that HHI’s Engine and Machinery division has been a licensee of Wärtsilä since 1975, building more than 22,800 MW of Wärtsilä licensed engines.

“With the renewed agreement we have a strong platform for intensifying our fruitful co-operation, and promoting our products to the future generation of ocean-going merchant ships,” said Martin Wernli, President, Wärtsilä Switzerland and Vice President, Product Centre 2-stroke.

Under the terms of the newly signed agreement, HHI is licensed to manufacture and sell the full range of Wärtsilä RTA, RT-flex, and X-series low-speed marine diesel engines within its specified territory.

“At HHI we are happy to sign the renewal of the license agreement and see the smooth continuation of the long-standing business relationship and fruitful co-operation between the two companies” added JH Kim, Sr. Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of HHI Engine and Machinery Division.

An artist's rendition of the new Equinox Class vessels. Photo: Algoma Central Corp.

Algoma Central Corp., the largest Canadian shipowner and operator of Canadian-flagged Great Lakes vessels, has announced plans to install fresh water exhaust gas scrubbers on six new vessels that the company says will remove 97% of sulphur oxides emissions generated by vessel engines.

The St. Catharines, Ontario-based company has signed a contract with Wärtsilä Ship Power for the supply of the systems for its Equinox Class vessels, which are currently being built by Chinese shipbuilder Nantong Mingde Heavy Industry Co. Ltd, for a total supply and installation cost of the six scrubber systems is US$12 million.

The two gearless bulk carriers and four self-unloading bulk carriers are designed specifically for Great Lakes service with high efficiency hulls that will require less horsepower to achieve higher speeds than any previous Great Lakes design and thus achieve the lowest fuel consumption and emissions per tonne/kilometre of cargo carried.  The first Equinox Class vessel will arrive in Canada in the first half of 2013.

The Algoma order is the first for Wärtsilä’s new, integrated, fresh water, exhaust gas scrubber design. The scrubbers are designed to clean the exhaust gases of the vessels’ main and auxiliary engines as well as the oil-fired boiler and will meet more stringent environmental regulations taking effect over the next three years.

These scrubber systems will allow shipowners to use lower cost, heavy fuel oils while, at the same time, meet the new Emission Control Area sulphur limits established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and adopted by Canada and the United States for the Great Lakes and coastal waters.  Without scrubber technology, shipowners will be forced to convert vessels to burn more expensive low sulfur diesel.

The Wärtsilä scrubber concept works with fresh water recirculating in a closed-loop system. Sulphur oxides that are washed out of the exhaust are neutralized with caustic soda. A small amount of scrubbing water is continuously extracted and an on board water treatment unit removes other captured contaminants such as particulate matter.

A major advantage of fresh water scrubbers is the possibility to operate in a zero discharge mode which means that there is no effluent (waste product) from the scrubber discharged into the lake water. The treated, clean effluents would be held in a holding tank for discharge at an appropriate location while solid contaminants are disposed of at reception facilities in port.

“These are truly important vessels as they will set new standards for environmentally sustainable shipping on the Great Lakes and for cargo vessels in general. The Wärtsilä integrated scrubber solution removes more than 97 percent of sulphur oxides emissions,” says Juhani Hupli, Vice President, Ship Power Technology at Wärtsilä Ship Power.

“In addition to the environmental initiatives another key focus for Algoma’s fleet renewal process has been to reduce maintenance costs. Wärtsilä’s capability in providing both an integrated marine solution and global service support was a major reason Wärtsilä was selected to provide this comprehensive equipment package.” says Al Vanagas, Senior Vice President Technical, Algoma Central Corporation.

This process meets all the quality and monitoring requirements stipulated by the IMO. Wärtsilä is the first manufacturer to have been awarded a marine scrubber certificate by the classification societies Det Norske Veritas, Germanischer Lloyd, and Bureau Veritas.

More about Wärtsilä’s Fresh Water Scrubbers

Click here to view the embedded video.

Currently under construction at the STX Finland yard in Turku, the NB 1376 represents a completely new generation of ferries with it’s revolutionary Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) fuel system built by Wärtsilä, interior design by the award-winning dSign Vertti Kivi & co, and a host of other innovations providing the passengers with a totally new and fresh cruise experience.

Wärtsilä 8L50DF

Wärtsilä’s scope of supply for this contract includes four Wärtsilä 8L50DF main engines, the transverse bow and stern tunnel thrusters, and two stainless steel fixed pitch, built-up main propellers with complete propeller shaft lines and environmentally sound shaft line seal systems. The propellers are designed with the lowest possible pressure impulses for superb vibration control.

The vessel will be fueled by LNG, meaning that sulphur oxide emissions will be almost zero, and nitrogen oxide emissions will be at least 80 percent below the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) current stipulated level. Furthermore, there is a reduction of particulate emissions of more than 90 percent compared to the emissions from conventional diesel engines, while carbon dioxide emissions are also 20-30 percent lower. The use of Wärtsilä’s duel-fuel engine technology will enable this ferry to sail without restrictions in Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAs) and Nitrogen Emission Control Areas (NECAs). LNG offers the most economical and environmentally sound solution for the future.

 

Production begins on the NB1376…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Wärtsilä and Kongsberg Maritime have been contracted to supply the power, positioning, and automation systems for two new drilling rigs ordered by Songa Offshore AS, the Norwegian arm of the Cyprus-based offshore drilling company. These so called cat D semi-submersible rigs are tailor designed for use by Statoil in mid-water segments, and are being built at the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co.Ltd (DSME) shipyard in South Korea.

“The proven reliability and superior efficiency of the Wärtsilä propulsion solutions were the major factors in the award of this contract. Calculating the average load profile for deepwater drilling rigs, the efficiency is approximately three per cent better than those offered by competitors. The high efficiency enables fuel cost savings and has also clear benefits in terms of reducing carbon dioxide emissions (CO2). Furthermore, the local Wärtsilä service network in Norway will provide full support for the equipment,” says Magnus Miemois, Vice President at Wärtsilä Ship Power, Offshore.

A faster port turnaround time makes it possible to decrease the vessel speed at sea. This is mainly a benefit for ships with scheduled operations, such as ferries and container vessels. The turnaround time can be reduced for example by improving maneuvering performance or enhancing cargo flows with innovative ship designs, ramp arrangements or lifting arrangements.

Regular in-service polishing is required to reduce surface roughness on propellers caused by organic growth and fouling. This can be done without disrupting service operation by using divers.

Up to 10% improvement in service propeller efficiency compared to a fouled propeller.

Modern hull coatings have a smoother and harder surface finish, resulting in reduced friction. Since typically some 50-80% of resistance is friction, better coatings can result in lower total resistance.

A modern coating also results in less fouling, so with a hard surface the benefit is even greater when compared to some older paints towards the end of the docking period.

Saving in fuel consumption after 48 months compared to a conventional hull coating:

• Tanker: ~ 9%
• Container: ~ 9%
• PCTC: ~ 5%
• Ferry: ~ 3% 
• OSV: ~ 0.6%

Engines are usually optimized at high loads. In real life most of them are used on part loads. New matching that takes into account real operation profiles can significantly improve overall operational efficiency.

New engine matching means different TC tuning, fuel injection advance, cam profiles, etc.

Reducing the ship speed an effective way to cut energy consumption. Propulsion power vs. ship speed is a third power curve (according to the theory) so significant reductions can be achieved. It should be noted that for lower speeds the amount of transported cargo / time period is also lower. The energy saving calculated here is for an equal distance travelled.

Reduction in ship speed vs. saving in total energy consumption:

•  0.5 kn –> – 7% energy
•  1.0 kn  –> – 11% energy
•  2.0 kn  –> – 17% energy
•  3.0 kn  –> – 23% energy

The purpose of weather routing is to find the optimum route for long distance voyages, where the shortest route is not always the fastest. The basic idea is to use updated weather forecast data and choose the optimal route through calm areas or areas that have the most downwind tracks. The best systems also take into account the currents, and try to take maximum advantage of these. This track information can be imported to the navigation system.

Shorter passages, less fuel.

The optimum trim can often be as much as 15-20% lower than the worst trim condition at the same draught and speed. As the optimum trim is hull form dependent and for each hull form it depends on the speed and draught, no general conclusions can be made. However by logging the required power in various conditions over a long time period it is possible to find the optimum trim for each draught and speed.

Or this can be determined fairly quickly using CFD or model tests. However it should be noted that correcting the trim by taking ballast will result in higher consumption (increased displacement). If possible the optimum trim should be achieved either by repositioning the cargo or rearranging the bunkers.

Optimal vessel trim reduces the required power.

Poor directional stability causes yaw motion and thus increases fuel consumption. Autopilot has a big influence on the course keeping ability. The best autopilots today are self tuning, adaptive autopilots.

Finding the correct autopilot parameters suitable for the current route and operation area will significantly reduce the use of the rudder and therefore reduce the drag.

Finding the correct parameters or preventing unnecessary use of the rudder gives an anticipated benefit of  1-5%.

A shipping company, with its human resources department, could create a culture of fuel saving, with an incentive or bonus scheme based on fuel savings. One simple means would be competition between the company’s vessels. Training and a measuring system are required so that the crew can see the results and make an impact.

Historical data as reference. Experience shows that incentives can reduce energy usage by up to 10%.

In a CBM system all maintenance action is based on the latest, relevant information received through communication with the actual equipment and on evaluation of this information by experts.

The main benefits are: lower fuel consumption, lower emissions, longer interval between overhauls, and higher reliability.

Correctly timed service will ensure optimum engine performance and improve consumption by up to 5%.

Algae growing on the hull increases ship resistance. Frequent cleaning of the hull can reduce the drag and minimise total fuel consumption.

Reduced fuel consumption:

• Tanker: ~ 3%
• Container: ~ 2%
• PCTC: ~ 2%
• Ferry: ~ 2% 
• OSV: ~ 0.6%

Part 1: How to Design a More Efficient Ship

Part 2: How to Propel a More Efficient Ship

Part 3: Marine Engineering Technology for More Efficient Shipping

All information and images courtesy of Wärtsilä