Wärtsilä supplies hybrid propulsion to three more vessels

Technology group Wärtsilä has announced it will supply an integrated hybrid propulsion solution for three new self-discharging cargo vessels being built at the Royal Bodewes shipyard in The Netherlands for Norwegian shipowner Aasen Shipping.

As part of the solution, the ships will feature the latest addition to Wärtsilä’s engine portfolio, the Wärtsilä 25, which was launched in September 2022.

The engines and vessel are prepared for operation on sustainable fuels in the future. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in September 2023.

Wärtsilä delivered a similar hybrid propulsion solution to two earlier Aasen Shipping vessels, the Aasfoss and Aasfjell. These ships have successfully operated with the hybrid propulsion solution for almost two years, and this success has been cited as a prime consideration in the award of this new contract.

The three 9,500 deadweight tonnage (DWT) vessels will each operate with one six-cylinder Wärtsilä 25 main engine fitted with a Wärtsilä NOx reduction system, a Wärtsilä gearbox, and controllable pitch propeller with shaft line, a Wärtsilä Pro-Touch bridge control system, the Hybrid system with DC hub and 620-kilowatt hour (kWh) battery capacity, the control system, as well as the battery, power and energy management systems.

The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery to Royal Bodewes in December 2025 and in 2026.

“We are delighted to have received this repeat order for our hybrid solution. The combination of the highly efficient and flexible Wärtsilä 25 engine with batteries provides both optimised operations and environmental sustainability,” commented Stefan Nysjö, Vice President of Power Supply, Wärtsilä Marine Power.

“The ships can use electrical battery power when in harbour and for low-load operations, and then switch to the main engines for transit. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with both Aasen Shipping and Royal Bowedes on our shared commitment to decarbonising marine operations.”

In November 2023, Wärtsilä inaugurated its new workshop and Land & Sea Academy training facilities in Jakarta, Indonesia.

More recently, Wärtsilä announced it will supply its latest simulator technology for a new maritime training centre in Finland.