Propulsion specialist Wärtsilä says that its hybrid upgrade solution has been selected for retrofitting two offshore construction vessels owned by Norwegian operator Østensjø Rederi. It notes the upgrades will reduce the use of the ships’ engines with correspondingly lower levels of exhaust emissions while operating in dynamic positioning (DP) mode and will also lower emissions levels in all other operational modes.
The two ships, the Edda Fauna and Edda Flora, were built in 2008 and the upgrade will include the company’s new electronic DC bus-link, which it says enables a vessel to operate in DP 2 and 3 modes with a closed DC bus in hybrid, and an open bus on the AC system.
“We intend to be a shipping company that leads in sustainable operations,” commented Østensjø Rederi’s chief project officer, Egil Arne Skare. “Today’s carbon footprint is to be reduced through systematic efforts and continued technical development at all levels. This is why we have chosen to upgrade these vessels to hybrid propulsion, which is an area of technology where Wärtsilä excels.”
Delivery of the Wärtsilä equipment to both vessels is planned for January 2021 and the companies note that funding from Enova, a Norwegian government enterprise that promotes the environmentally friendly production and consumption of energy, has been an important contributor to the project.