Wärtsilä and Samsung join forces in developing next-generation gas-fuelled ships
Wärtsilä Emission Control Areas ECAs are expected to increase especially in sensitive marine regionsWärtsilä, a Finnish provider of power solutions for the marine and energy markets, and one of the world's leading shipbuilders, Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), have signed a co-operation agreement to develop gas-fuelled merchant vessels. The joint intention is to develop next-generation ships with efficient and competitive propulsion machinery concepts that meet or exceed the demands of future environmental regulations.
The focus of the collaboration project between Wärtsilä and SHI will be on utilizing liquefied natural gas as fuel for the vessels. Wärtsilä's input will be related to the propulsion machinery, with particular reference to large bore, dual-fuel engines combined with mechanical propulsion solutions. SHI will concentrate on the design of highly efficient vessels incorporating fuel storage facilities and gas-powered propulsion machinery.
- Compared to conventional engines running on heavy fuel oil, Wärtsilä's dual-fuel engine technology offers 20-25 percent lower carbon dioxide emissions, 90 percent lower nitrogen emissions and almost negligible sulphur dioxide and particle emissions, says Jaakko Eskola, Group Vice President at Wärtsilä Ship Power.
According to Eskola in gas mode the Wärtsilä's dual-fuel engines comply already with the International Maritime Organization IMO's regulations which come into force in 2016.
Heavy fuel oil is still the cheapest available source of primary energy and the most common solution for machinery propulsion and electricity generation, but future environmental regulations will require technologies with lower levels of emissions. The number of Emission Control Areas in different regions of the world is expected to rise.
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