Wärtsilä to Power Baleària’s LNG Ferry

Finnish engineering company Wärtsilä has signed a contract with LaNaval shipyard in Sestao, Spain for the design and supply of the LNG power and propulsion installation for a new RoRo passenger ferry.

Wärtsilä will also provide inclusive project support services to the yard, including integration engineering and on-site consulting, as well as commissioning of the combined systems.

The ship is being built for Spanish owner Baleària, an operator serving the Balearic Islands, and the contract signed with the shipbuilder includes an option for a second vessel.

Upon entering regular service in 2019, this eco-efficient ‘smartship’ will be the first gas-propelled RoRo passenger ferry operating in the Mediterranean Sea, and among the largest ferries in Europe, according to Wärtsilä.

Featuring a length of 232 metres, the vessel will have a capacity for 331 vehicles and 1700 passengers.

The full Wärtsilä scope of supply for this contract includes four 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel main engines, four 9-cylinder Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines, the Wärtsilä LNGPac fuel storage and management system, two twin/single out gearboxes, two Wärtsilä Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP) with the Wärtsilä ProTouch bridge control system, two Wärtsilä transverse thrusters, plus comprehensive engineering, project management, and on-site yard support services.

The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled to be delivered to the yard in mid-2017.