Wärtsilä to deliver world’s first hybrid retrofit for short-sea vessel

The work will be carried out onboard the general cargo vessel Hagland Captain, and it will be the first project of its kind in short-sea shipping applications, Wärtsilä announced.

Wärtsilä said installation of a Wärtsilä battery hybrid propulsion solution will significantly enhance the ship’s environmental performance by reducing its emissions, fuel consumption, and noise.

The solution includes a shore power connection to provide power for loading/unloading operations and for battery charging, a new reduction gear with power take-off and power take-in technology, and a Wärtsilä NOx Reducer (NOR).

It is estimated that the total reduction in NOx emissions after the retrofit could be as much as 80-9%, while overall fuel cost savings are expected to be in the range of 5-10%. The battery capacity will be sufficient to sail in and out of harbour on electric power for approximately 30 minutes, which will reduce noise and pollution levels in the vicinity of the harbour.

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The project is a response to an agreement between Hagland Shipping and NOAH, the Norwegian environment and resource company, whereby the shipping of materials to the Norwegian island of Langøyain is required to be via environmentally sound vessels.

“Environmental considerations are increasingly important for fleet owners around the world. The need for the latest smart marine technologies has been seen for some time already in deep sea shipping, and this project is evidence that the need also exists in short-sea transportation,” said Paul Kohle, director, sales and sales support, asset management services, Wärtsilä Marine.

“Wärtsilä is responding to these developments with its Smart Marine Ecosystem approach, which through the use of high levels of digitalisation and connectivity, is creating greater efficiencies, increased safety, and more sustainable solutions,” Kohle said.