PSA Marine picks Wärtsilä design for 2nd LNG-fueled tug

The harbour tug will run on clean-burning liquefied natural gas (LNG) and incorporate fuel efficiency features to bring it in line with the Singapore maritime industry’s increasing emphasis on reducing its environmental impact.

The order with Wärtsilä, booked in March 2018, to build its first LNG-fuelled harbour tug is also in line with PSA Marine’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint as a leading service provider of marine services.

PSA Marine had awarded the design contract for one dual-fuel LNG tug to Robert Allan at the end of last year with delivery scheduled for 2019. No building details were revealed at the time.

“We are honoured to have been selected to provide both the ship design and an integrated propulsion solution for this modern, efficient, and environmentally sustainable harbour tug. Being the one-stop-shop for this vessel, from the design to the engineering and machinery supply, Wärtsilä can ensure a fully integrated and optimised harbour tug. This not only supports the entire project, but also eases the procurement and supplier interfacing processes for the shipyard,” said Wärtsilä Marine Solutions vp of ship design Riku-Pekka Hägg.

PSA Marine md Peter Chew said: “Wärtsilä is a renowned brand that has a strong dual-fuel technology track record. As an owner and operator of harbour tugs, we are on the constant look-out for innovative and cutting-edge solutions to achieve new milestones in the way we operate our fleet. We are excited about this collaboration and look forward to leveraging Wärtsilä’s expertise in this area.”

Under the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s (MPA) LNG Bunkering Pilot Programme, PSA Marine will receive a grant of up to SGD2m ($1.5m) for each tug.

The 28-metre long, 50-tonne bollard pull harbour tug will operate with two Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel engines running primarily on LNG fuel. Wärtsilä will also supply its LNGPac fuel storage and supply system as well as steerable thrusters and the Wärtsilä ProTouch control system. The equipment will be delivered to the yard at the end of 2018 and the harbour tug is slated to commence operations in the port of Singapore around mid-2019.