Wärtsilä’s next generation PSV promises unmatched efficiency

​The new VS 485 Mk III has outstanding performance in the areas of fuel-efficiency and safety. Image courtesy Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä has said it has won a contract to supply the design and equipment for a new Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) for offshore market.  The PSV will be of the new VS 485 Mk III design and is said to be one of the most cost and fuel-efficient supply vessels ever to be launched.  The new vessel, scheduled to be delivered towards the end of 2012, is to be built at the the Norwegian shipyard Hellesøy Verft AS and owned and operated by the Norwegian ship owner, Vestland Offshore.

In response to the customer’s demand for a modern, high quality, and fuel efficient PSV, Wärtsilä Ship Design has developed a highly energy and environmentally efficient vessel solution. Based on the well-proven VS 485 design, the new vessel has an optimised hull design for greater efficiency, with corresponding reduced emission to air. The Vessel will be fitted with Wärtsilä medium speed engines and Wärtsilä NOx Reducer.

In addition to the design package, Wärtsilä’s scope of supply includes four Wärtsilä 9L20 diesel generator sets, the electric propulsion system, the power management system, and an integrated automation system.

“Vestland Offshore is building a fleet of vessels that emphasise energy efficiency, safety, reliability, and environmental sustainability. These are all major focus areas for today’s oil industry, and Wärtsilä’s designs are at the forefront of achieving these aims,” says Tor Østervold, Chairman of the Board of Vestland Offshore.

The VS 485 Mk III fulfils the highest possible Environmental Rating Number (ERN) 99.99.99.99, which represents the vessel’s capability for maintaining its position and normal operations under certain weather conditions. The new Wärtsilä PSV design includes a unique power and propulsion system based on the company’s patented Low Loss Concept. This provides both additional safety and extra reliability for continuous operation, in various failure modes.

“Over the years, Wärtsilä has gained considerable experience in the development of energy efficient vessels. In particular, the optimisation of hull lines has been a major focus area of this development work. By combining this know-how with our overall expertise and experience, new design optimisation tools, and state-of-the-art power and propulsion solutions, we have been able to produce a highly efficient portfolio of Offshore Service Vessel designs,” says Johannes Eldøy, Director, Project Development for Wärtsilä Ship Design.

Wärtsilä has had a long and successful relationship with the Hellesøy Verft yard, and this will be the seventh VS 485 vessel that they have built. However, this is the first ship of the new Mk III design that they have ordered. The new ship will be one of the most cost and fuel-efficient supply vessels ever to be launched. It is designed to be suitable for world-wide operations.

The vessel is 85.6 metres long, has a breadth of 20 metres, a cargo deck area of approximately 1000 square metres, and has a dead weight at 7 m of 5,000 tonnes.

Via Wärtsilä

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