Marine technology group Wärtsilä has been selected to provide an upgraded system for Vancouver, Canada-based BC Ferries and its Salish Class vessel.
Being built by Remontowa Shipbuilding in Gdansk, Poland, the new integrated system will consist of an LNG plant, dual-fuel engines, and an electrical propulsion system. A further three ferries all fueled by LNG and using the tech group’s engines have been built previously by the Polish ship maker at the same location.
The Wärtsilä supply package includes three 20DF dual-fuel engines that operate on LNG fuel, along with an LNGPac fuel storage solution, and a supply and control system. A low loss concept (LLC) will also feature on the 107m (350ft) vessel, consisting of a more compact and lighter power distribution unit that delivers higher levels of efficiency and a high system redundancy.
Mark Collins, president and CEO of British Columbia Ferry Services, said, “We are proud to extend our fleet of environmentally sustainable and highly efficient Salish Class ferries. The Wärtsilä LNG solutions enable us to reliably serve our customers, while helping to protect the pristine waters of British Columbia.”
Salish Class ferries are designed to carry up to 600 passengers and crew, along with 138 vehicles and will cover routes between the city of Vancouver and ports on Vancouver Island.