World’s first high speed LNG fuelled RoPax ferry to be powered by Wärtsilä

A new passenger ferry being built for Swedish operator Rederi AB Gotland will be fuelled by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will feature a Wärtsilä integrated solution. The Wärtsilä integrated solution includes a complete LNG powered propulsion- and fuel storage and supply system, as well as
comprehensive project services.This will be the first Swedish flagged LNG powered passenger vessel and the first LNG fuelled high speed RoPax ferry in the world. The vessel is being built at the Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) yard in China and when delivered, will sail between the Swedish mainland and the island of Gotland. GSI placed the contract with Wärtsilä in November.

By operating on LNG, the new 200 metre long ferry will comply with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Tier III regulations regarding emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx). Furthermore, it will meet the sulphur (SOx) emissions limitations required for operating in the Northern European sulphur emissions controlled areas (SECA), while emissions of particulates will also be reduced to virtually zero.

In addition to its compliance with emissions legislation, the ferry will also meet the requirements of the IMO’s recently agreed IGF Code regarding the safety of LNG fuelled ships. “This vessel will have a minimal environmental footprint and we are proud to be working with Wärtsilä to make this possible. Wärtsilä’s know-how and experience with gas fuelled vessels is unmatched in the industry,” says Mr Håkan Johansson, Managing Director of Rederi AB Gotland. Wärtsilä and GSI have successfully cooperated for many years on projects involving various types of vessels. However, this is the first project between the companies involving an LNG fuelled ship.

It is expected that as LNG becomes increasingly accepted as a marine fuel, and given Wärtsilä’s capabilities in LNG solutions, such cooperation will continue into the future. In addition to the complete LNG powered propulsion and fuel & storage system, the Wärtsilä integrated solution will include services relating to project management, integration engineering, on-site support and overall commissioning responsibility.

The selection of Wärtsilä for the supply of a significant portion of the ship’s equipment, as well as for the project services, was based on the company’s vast experience in gas powered propulsion and its capability to supply everything needed for operating on gas fuel, from the bunkering stations to the propulsion solutions. No other company is able to match this experience.