A new-build high-speed ro-pax ferry being built at the Astilleros Armon Gijon yard in Spain for Spanish shipping company Baleària will benefit from Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines and high-performance axial flow waterjets.
The 123m-long Margarita Salas will be supplied with four Wärtsilä 31DF dual-fuel engines (operating predominantly on LNG fuel), four Wärtsilä WXJ steerable-reversible inboard hydraulic waterjets with a ProTouch propulsion control system, and two LNGPac fuel storage and supply systems.
Despite having the same dimensions as its sister vessel, the Eleanor Roosevelt, the latest Baleària ferry will have 10% more power and benefit from increased efficiency due to the Wärtsilä-supplied engines. The 31DF is IMO Tier III compliant and reportedly the most powerful engine in its class. Furthermore, the axial flow of the Wärtsilä waterjets will reduce the installation footprint by an average of 25% compared with conventional systems. The propulsion system is estimated to enable the vessel to reach a service speed of 35kts.
“This new ship will combine the most competitive features of the Eleanor Roosevelt with a series of innovations in its design and engineering to enhance the customer experience,” said Pablo Garcia, new-builds project manager at Baleària.
“It is an honor to have been selected as the integrated drivetrain package supplier for this state-of-the-art vessel,” said Jesus Puelles, Wärtsilä’s general manager for sales in Spain. “We have been able to offer superior technical performance, the best power-to-weight ratio, the best overall equipment efficiency and enhanced integration support. This represents a value proposition that will make this new ferry superbly efficient.”