Wärtsilä’s propulsion solutions selected for special high-speed ferry

The technology group Wärtsilä has won an order to provide propulsion solutions for a new 115 metres long high-speed ferry.

The vessel is being built by Austal at the Australian shipbuilder’s yard in the Philippines for Danish operator Molslinjen.

It will feature four Wärtsilä 31 engines, recognised by Guinness World Records as being the world’s most efficient 4-stroke diesel engine, and four high-performance Wärtsilä WXJ1500SRI waterjets.

Wärtsilä will also supply its ProTouch bridge controls system as part of the contract, secured in May this year.

“This combination of the Wärtsilä 31 engine and WXJ waterjets is unique for fast ferries, delivering exceptional fuel efficiency, reliability, quality and performance. This is an exciting project, and we are honoured to have been selected to provide the level of propulsion demanded,” says Stefan Nysjö, Marine Power Solutions, Wärtsilä Marine.

This large ferry will be capable of carrying 1610 passengers, and will have space for 450 cars or 617 lane metres for trucks plus 257 cars. It will have an operating service speed of close to 37 knots.

“It will be, by volume, the largest ferry ever built in our shipyards, and it will offer a powerful, yet economical and environmentally-friendly solution,” says Wayne Murray, President Austal Philippines.

This is the first time the WXJ waterjets and the Wärtsilä 31 engine have been used in combination for a fast ferry, the company said.

The Wärtsilä equipment will be delivered to the yard commencing in July 2021, and the ferry is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2022.

It will operate on the Molslinjen Bornholm route between Ystad and Rønne in Denmark.