By
Alex Smith |
Technology group Wärtsilä is to provide a complete package of solutions for the first two LNG-fuelled ships to be built in Japan, comprising of the Wärtsilä 31DF engine, gearbox, and the LNGPac storage, supply and control system.
The ships are currently being built at Mitsubishi’s Shimonoseki shipyard in Japan on behalf of operator Ferry Sunflower, a subsidiary of Mitsui O.S.K Lines (MOL). The newbuild project is serving as a test programme for Japan’s energy conservation rating system for coastal ships, demonstrating operational efficiency. Wärtsilä’s 31DF dual-fuel engine was chosen specifically for its efficiency, as well as its ability to provide continuous gas mode operation.
“Wärtsilä’s vast experience and know-how in LNG solutions for the marine sector is again recognised with this landmark order for the first Japanese built LNG-fuelled ferries,” said Keisuke Yasutake, area sales manager for Wärtsilä Japan. “We are able to offer LNG-based products and systems having a proven design and high performance, with a strong reference list that supports our value proposition.”
Sunflower Kurenai and Sunflower Murasaki will be capable of carrying up to 763 passengers, 136 trucks and 100 cars at a maximum speed of 22.5 knots. They are scheduled to enter service in 2023 on the Osaka-Beppu route.
“MOL is dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of its business activities, and these two ferries are being built in line with that objective,” said Makoto Yamaguchi, general manager of the technical division at MOL. “By operating on LNG they will have a greatly reduced carbon footprint, and the high-performance Wärtsilä engine fits our requirements perfectly.”