Wärtsilä joins LNG project

The project, which is led by Athens-based Arista Shipping and involves Deltamarin, ABS, and LNG membrane containment system designer, GTT, was set up to enable dry bulk carriers to comply with the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index 2025 standards and other emissions regulations.

Alexander Panagopulos, Arista Shipping Principal, said: “Owners must decide within the next five to ten years whether gas as fuel is a practical means of compliance with lower emissions standards and this project will enable all of us to understand its feasibility. We welcome Wärtsilä’s involvement, as it is a company with great experience in this field.”

Wärtsilä’s role in the project will involve it providing its 31DF dual-fuel engine to form the basis of the concept’s propulsion system.

The engine enables either conventional or LNG fuel to be used and is IMO Tier III compliant without the need for additional exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) or scrubbers.

Wärtsilä is a forerunner in the LNG propulsion market.

The first ever UK domestic dual-fuelled new build vessels will feature fully integrated Wärtsilä propulsion machinery packages. The two ships, both 102m long ro-ro passenger ferries, are being built for Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) based in Port Glasgow, Scotland.

Also, a series of 15 inland waterway barges being built in Poland for Belgium based Plouvier Transport NV, and which will be chartered by Shell Trading Rotterdam (Shell), are to be powered by Wärtsilä dual-fuel main engines.

Wärtsilä’s strong focus on promoting environmentally sustainable solutions for inland waterway vessels, together with its extensive experience in developing capabilities for the use of LNG fuel, was considered a key factor in the award of the contract.