Wärtsilä to Power Seven Arctic Shuttle Tankers Under Construction in Korea

Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has been selected to supply the main and harbor engines for a series of seven new Arctic shuttle tankers under construction for an unknown shipowner at Samsung Heavy Industries.

The order, which is valued at more than EUR 100 million, was placed with Wärtsilä in December 2021.

The 120,000 DWT vessels will have Arc 7 ice-class icebreaking capability. Each vessel will features six Wärtsilä 31DF dual-fuel main engines operating primarily on liquefied natural gas, and two Wärtsilä 20 harbor engines. All will be fitted with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems for emissions abatement.

The Wärtsilä engines are designed to operate reliably at temperatures as low as minus 45 degrees celsius.

“The Wärtsilä 31 series of engines has set a benchmark in efficiency for the industry. The diesel version has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s most efficient 4-stroke diesel engine, and all versions of the Wärtsilä 31 engine series have the same high focus on efficiency,” said Östen Lindell, Sales Director East Asia & China at Wärtsilä Marine Power. “This is important for vessels such as these operating in Arctic waters, where operational reliability and environmental sustainability are of critical importance.”

Wärtsilä said the equipment is scheduled for delivery to the shipyard starting in Q4 2022, and the ships are expected to be ready for commissioning between 2024 and 2027.

Samsung Heavy Industries back in October revealed it had won a $1.7 billion order for seven shuttle tankers from an undisclosed shipowner in Eurasia, presumed to be from Russia, with deliveries expected to be completed by the end of January 2027. It’s unclear if this contract with Wärtsilä is linked to the ship order.

“We are delighted to work with Wärtsilä to provide main and auxiliary power as well as emissions abatement for this series of highly capable vessels,” says Youngkyu Ahn, Vice President, Samsung Heavy Industries.

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