Norway-based Wärtsilä Ship Design has launched a new optimised stern trawler design that will help reduce fuel consumption and increase overall vessel efficiency.

The new propulsion system for the Wärtsilä VS 6215 ST stern trawler is developed based on the company’s 31 4-stroke diesel engine.

Featuring an aft ship layout, the new design includes Wärtsilä’s hybrid battery technology, which improves energy efficiency better than the conventional systems.

"Our new design has been developed to offer the fishing industry lower fuel costs and greater possibilities for profitable operations."

The design allows running of the engine at optimal load and absorbs many of the load fluctuations using batteries.

Apart from the hybrid battery technology, the new design features Wärtsilä’s 2-speed gearbox for additional reductions in fuel consumption and emissions.

Wärtsilä Marine Solutions ship design vice-president Riku-Pekka Hägg said: “Stern trawlers can be out fishing for up to 350 days a year and fuel consumption is, therefore, an extremely relevant consideration.

“Our new design features the very latest technologies, and has been developed to offer the fishing industry lower fuel costs and greater possibilities for profitable operations.”

The 82m long Wärtsilä VS 6215 ST stern trawler vessel has a factory capacity of 80t/24h.

Last month, Wärtsilä said that it had provided its hybrid battery technology and other systems to a new ferry currently being built at the Cemre shipyard in Turkey for UK-based operator Wightlink.

Additionally, four 6-cylinder Wärtsilä 20 generating sets, electrical and automation (E&A) systems, and a sanitary discharge system have also been supplied by Wärtsilä.


Image: The Wärtsilä VS 6215 ST 82m stern trawler design features a new aft ship layout. Photo: courtesy of Wärtsilä.

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