Technology group Wärtsilä will provide the system design and equipment scope for two new 9300 DWT self-discharging bulk carriers featuring hybrid propulsion. The ships, designed by Royal Bodewes, will be the first of their kind to be fitted with such a solution.
They are being built for Norway’s Aasen Shipping at the Royal Bodewes shipyard in the Netherlands.
Hybrid propulsion
Wärtsilä was contacted to determine whether a hybrid installation would be beneficial for the new ships. The company then carried out a detailed study in close cooperation with Aasen Shipping, taking into consideration a broad range of relevant factors. The study determined that the extra initial investment required for the battery installation would be more than offset by the high level of achievable fuel cost savings.
The scope for each ship includes a Wärtsilä 26 main engine with gearbox and controlled pitch propeller (CPP), a DC switchboard, a battery pack, and a power management system. The equipment is scheduled to be delivered to the yard commencing in mid-2021.
Battery powered excavators
The vessels are self-discharging bulk carriers fitted with excavators for loading and unloading. The excavators will be electrically powered using the battery pack, which will save fuel and be emissions-free since normally they would be diesel operated.
The investment cost for the hybrid installation is partly supported by Enova SF, the Norwegian government enterprise responsible for the promotion of environmentally-friendly production and consumption of energy.
Picture: The self-discharging bulk carriers being built for Aasen Shipping will be the first of their kind to operate with hybrid propulsion (by Aasen Shipping).
