Wärtsilä to supply extensive scope of solutions for 6 + 6 new container feeder ships

The technology group Wärtsilä will supply an extensive range of products and solutions for six new 1160TEU container feeder vessels to be built at the Fujian Mawei shipyard in China. The project has been developed by MarLink Project Management GmbH in Germany together with various investors. This series of state-of-the-art container ships has been designed by German design office abh Ingenieur-Technik GmbH. There are options for a further six vessels. The order for the exhaust scrubbers and BWMS was booked in May 2017, while the order for the remainder of the supply was booked in December 2016.

The full Wärtsilä scope for each vessel comprises the main propulsion unit featuring a controllable pitch (CPP) propeller plant including the shafting arrangement with a step up tunnel gear, the manoeuvring unit comprising a bow tunnel thruster with the electrical motor and variable frequency drive (VFD), a custom designed shaft generator system, a hybrid exhaust gas cleaning system, ballast water management systems, a sewage treatment plant and the ship automation. The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery to the yard commencing in the second half of 2017, and the first vessel is expected to be delivered in 2018.

The CP propeller plant has been tested extensively in model scale where it has been proven to be superior in terms of efficiency, cavitational behaviour and robustness. In fact, each of the Wärtsilä products or systems selected has individually been deemed to be the most efficient and/or economic in its class.

In preparation for the IMO’s sulphur cap regulations due to take effect in 2020, these ships will be equipped with a Wärtsilä hybrid scrubber plant. The system is operated with seawater in open and closed loop, and is designed to comply with the 2020 regulations’ global 0,5% sulphur cap, as well as with the even more stringent cap of 0,1% in defined SECA zones. When operating in closed loop, the wash water will be cleaned extensively to safely comply with the IMO’s discharge rules. The vessels will run in zero discharge mode for a defined period of time when operating the exhaust gas cleaning unit. The venturi type integrated scrubber will clean the exhaust from the main and three auxiliary engines.

“This comprehensive delivery of propulsion and environmental systems once again emphasises the extent of Wärtsilä’s offering and the range of our in-house competences. The fact that this remarkable series of vessels will feature Wärtsilä propulsion, environmental, and electrical and automation solutions is a clear endorsement of the added value our broad offering represents. We have worked closely with both the shipyard and MarLink from the early stages of this project to ensure the lowest possible operational costs and the most sustainable environmental solutions,” says Matthias Becker, General Manager, Sales, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.

“We have found Wärtsilä to be completely professional in their approach to meeting our requirements for these modern vessels. Having so many products being developed and supplied by the same company saves considerable time in the procurement process, and reduces our scheduling risks considerably,” says Hu Shijiang, Business Department Manager, Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Ltd..

“These are modern vessels for which environmental sustainability is extremely important. We believe the Wärtsilä solutions will enable the ships to operate cleanly and with a minimal impact on the environment yet combined with economically outstanding operating parameters”, says Mathias Pahl, Managing Director, MarLink Project Management GmbH.