FINLAND
New engines and growing orderbooks for Wärtsilä's ship power division
T
HE year 2005 was a busy one for Wärtsilä Corp. For the first three quarters of that period, the company notes that the decline in newbuilding orders for large vessels, caused by unwillingness to place orders since most yards are booked until 2008, has not affected its own order intake. The ship power business of Wärtsilä actually showed a remarkable 96.3% increase to €1444.5 million, compared with the previous year. Net sales for the nine-month period grew by 3.7% to €444.8 million. In an important move recently, Wärtsilä entered into a strategic alliance with its licensee, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, in the field of two- stroke engines. Mitsubishi is a well-established builder of Sulzer two-stroke engines, and to date, Wärtsilä has secured some 40 orders for the RT- flex50 engine, developed jointly with Mitsubishi.
Advances in the RT-flex engine range continue. Last autumn, Wärtsilä introduced two new low- speed diesel engines, in two versions: RT- flex82C and RTA82C, also RT-flex82T and RTA82T. The C-type engines are intended to power Panamax-size container ships up to 4500TEU with typical speed of 24knots. With cylinder dimensions of 820mm bore and 2646mm stroke, the RT-flex82C and RTA82C will be offered with six to 12 cylinders in-line, to cover a power range of 21,720kW to 54,240kW at 87rev/min to 102rev/min. T-type engines are designed to provide correct powers and shaft speeds for the propulsion of large tankers, VLCCs, and ULCCs. Cylinder diameter is the same as for the C-type engine, but the stroke is 3375mm. These models, built with six to nine cylinders, cover a power range of 21,720kW to 40,680kW at between 68rev/min and 80rev/min, complementing well the range of propeller speeds offered.
The first engines of the new type are expected to be completed towards the end of 2007 in cooperation with Hyundai Heavy Industries. One main theme with the new engines is that they are standardised as far as possible, with the main variation being the different piston stroke. This allows similar components to be used in both versions, thus reducing design and manufacturing costs. Wärtsilä RT-flex82C and RT-flex82T engines incorporate common-rail technology, with full electronic control of fuel injection and exhaust valve operation, whereas the RTA82C and RTA82T have traditional mechanically-driven camshafts with fuel injection pumps and exhaust-valve actuator pumps. The RT-flex versions have the added claimed benefit of no visible smoke emissions at all operating speeds, together with lower running speeds.
New contracts in the medium-speed sector Lately, Wärtsilä has secured several important contracts for its medium-speed range. In November, the company won an order for six 32- series diesel engines with a combined power of 29MW, plus steerable thrusters and various
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The first RT-flex50 engine (licence-built in Japan) was recently installed on Rederi AB Donsötank's 19,500dwt ice-strengthened bulk carrier Credo, under construction at Shanghai Edward Shipbuilding in China.
ancillary equipment, for a new offshore semi- submersible platform, ORS Pioneer, being built by Yantai Raffles, in China, for Offshore Rig Services AS. A consortium consisting of Wärtsilä, Siemens, and Kongsberg Maritime, is the main contractor for the platform's power plant, electrical, propulsion, dynamic positioning and automation systems, worth around €30 million. The total value of Wärtsilä's share of the order is about €15 million. In October, a contract was signed to deliver six 32-type engines with a combined power of more than 40MWfor what is believed to be the world's largest oil drill ship, to be built by Samsung Heavy Industries Co Ltd (illustrated on page 6 of The Naval Architect, January 2006). Ordered by Stena Drilling, the Stena Drill MAX design, with twin drilling derricks, is intended for oil and gas exploration in ultra-deep water down to 3000m, such as in the Norwegian and Barents Seas. Hull length is 228m and breadth 42m. Displacement of the vessel, to be delivered at the end of 2007, is 97,000tonnes. During last year,
Wärtsilä consistently
marketed its capability to deliver complete propulsion packages. A recent example of a successful order was the contract received by the revived Bijlsma Shipyard BV, in The Netherlands, for the delivery of complete propulsion plants for two 350TEU container feeder vessels ordered by the Dutch VeKa Group. Giving the shipyard the benefit of
reducing the number of suppliers, Wärtsilä will deliver for each vessel a 8R32LN main engine, reduction gearbox, a 3.20m-diameter Lips CP propeller, and a Lips transverse tunnel thruster. The VeKa Group is involved in shipbuilding and brokerage for inland navigation and short-sea shipping. The Bijlsma shipyard, also a member of the VeKa Group, is an established customer for Wärtsilä, having only in 2005 already ordered 15 engines of the 20 and 26 types for its general cargo vessel newbuildings. Wärtsilä was also recently awarded a contract to supply a propulsion plant of 11.5MW for each of two heavy-lift transport vessels to be converted for Fairmount Heavy Transport NV, Rotterdam. Originally semisubmersible barges, they are being converted to self-propelled heavy- lift transport vessels. For each, the delivery includes three Wärtsilä diesel-generating sets, two Lips steerable thrusters, and a Lips bow thruster.
Low-speed engines for new bulk carriers
Wärtsilä was recently awarded contracts to supply the new RT-flex50 common-rail low- speed engines, propellers, and
Auxpac
generating sets to Goodearth Maritime Ltd, India, for six Diamond 53-design 53,000dwt Handymax bulk carriers, to be built in India at Hindustan Shipyard in Visakhapatnam. Each ship will be fitted with a six-cylinder RT-flex50
THE NAVALARCHITECT FEBRUARY 2006
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