Wärtsilä has been selected to provide two of its HY 2 hybrid power modules for a new escort tug that is currently being built for the Port of Luleå in Sweden.
The vessel is undergoing construction at GONDAN Shipbuilders facility in Asturias, Spain, and is expected to be launched by early 2019.
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The tug is set to become the first vessel to operate using a Wärtsilä HY solution upon completion.
Wärtsilä’s HY solution is intended to enable the vessel to operate independently and without any additional charging facilities by automatically managing the tug’s energy management device to re-charge the vessel’s energy storage system.
The on-shore electrical system is also expected to allow the tug to re-charge its energy storage system, even when the tug is berthed at the quay.
In addition, the Wärtsilä HY system’s operational flexibility is set to help the vessel to reduce its fuel consumption, emissions and maintenance costs.
It is currently due to be delivered to the yard next year.
Port of Luleå managing director Henrik Vuorinen said: “The integrated hybrid functionality of this vessel will give us a bollard pull of up to 100t, while saving fuel and maintenance costs and producing emission levels some 20% less than from a conventional ship of this type and size.
“In other words, we shall have first-class performance in both its operation and its environmental impact.”
Port of Luleå is planning to deploy the 36m-long tug for ice-breaking operations.
The vessel will be designed to break ice of 1m thickness at a speed of up to 3k.
