Marine technology company Wärtsilä has been contracted by Poland-based Remontowa shipyard to supply three new ro-pax vessels with engines, fuel storage and supply systems.
Said to be the first LNG-fueled ro-pax vessels to be built for the Polish maritime sector, the vessels will each be fitted with four highly efficient Wärtsilä 31DF dual-fuel engines capable of running on just bio-LNG or a blend of the fuel with conventional LNG.
The supply scope will also see Wärtsilä delivering its LNGPac fuel storage, supply and control system to the shipbuilder.
Measuring 195m long, the ships are to be operated by ferry companies Unity Line and Polferries and will service routes between Swinoujscie, Poland, and the Swedish ports of Ystad and Trelleborg. Both companies aim to run the new ferries on entirely bio-LNG by 2025.
“High efficiency and sustainability are essential in today’s operating environment, especially in the Baltic Sea which is an Emissions Control Area,” commented Grzegorz Wardzyński, technical director of Polsteam, the parent company of Unity Line. “The Wärtsilä 31 engine represents the latest engine technology available and this, coupled with Wärtsilä’s vast experience in LNG solutions, made the choice easy for us.”
“Decarbonization is a front and center issue for the maritime sector, and this focus is reflected in the choice of the Wärtsilä engines for these ferries,” said Matthias Becker, general manager, sales, Wärtsilä Marine Power.
“Optimal engine performance is essential in maximizing fuel efficiency and minimizing exhaust emissions. These new vessels will become an important part of Poland’s transport infrastructure, and we are proud to be a partner to this project.”
The contract between the companies was signed in January 2022.