Wärtsilä has received an order to supply an integrated hybrid propulsion system for two new hybrid ro-ro vessels, being built at China Merchants Jinling shipyard (Weihai) for Swedish shipping company Stena RoRo.
The ships are believed to be the world’s first methanol fuelled hybrid ro-ro vessels and will operate in the Stena Line Irish Sea system. The combination of new sustainable fuels and electrification is in line with the company’s sustainable operations target.
Each vessel will be equipped with two Wärtsilä 32M multi-fuel engines, which, on deivery, will be capable of operating on methanol fuel but supplied with ammonia ready notation for the future. Wärtsilä’s scope of delivery includes the MethanolPac fuel storage, supply and control system, the gearboxes, two CP propellers, three bow thrusters, the Nacos navigation system, three Wärtsilä 20 auxiliary engines, and the hybrid electric system comprising shore power, batteries, shaft generators, converters, transformers as well as the Energy Management System.
Each vessel will benefit from the Wärtsilä Hybrid Solution, optimising the fuel consumption today and allowing for future full green operation. The Wärtsilä shore power solution will enable carbon-free operations when the vessels are in port.
Stena RoRo MD Per Westling said:“These vessels are a further development of our previous cargo ship concepts where the focus on sustainability and future-proofing with multi-fuel combustion engines are prioritised. With the help of Wärtsilä’s advanced technology, we intend to have the greenest ro-ro vessels on the market.”
Wärtsilä Marine Power President Roger Holm added: “We are proud to be supporting these innovative hybrid vessels with our methanol fuelled engines and electrification systems. Both Stena RoRo and Wärtsilä share the same commitment to decarbonising shipping operations, and these vessels represent a further step in this direction by being the first methanol hybrid ships in their class. Not only will the emissions be minimised, but they will also have the most efficient energy utilisation during operations.”
The 147m long ships will have 2,800 lane metre capacity and will be able to accommodate a total of 37 passengers and crew. They are scheduled for delivery in June and November 2025. The Wärtsilä equipment will be delivered to the yard in 2024.
Wärtsilä has a strong relationship with Stena RoRo, and as early as 2015 Wärtsilä converted the Stena Germanica to operate on methanol fuel. The two companies are currently cooperating on a number of other ro-pax projects.
