Image: Viking Line

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Wartsila has announced that it will be supplying six of its 31DF dual-fuel engines for a new luxury ferry being built for Finnish operator Viking Line.

Running primarily on liquefied natural gas (LNG), the 31DF engines will provide the propulsion and power for the vessel.

The diesel version of this same engine has been recognised by Guinness World Records as being the world's most efficient four-stroke diesel engine. It will be the first marine application for the dual-fuel version.

The ship is being built at the Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry yard in China and there is an option for a second vessel. The order with Wartsila was booked in October 2017.

Wartsila will also supply its LNGPac fuel storage and supply system and an advanced Compact Silencer System (CSS), bow thrusters, the ballast water management system (BWMS), and its Nacos Platinum integrated navigation system.

Commencing in early 2021, the new vessel is due to operate across the Baltic Sea between Turku, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden. It is the first LNG-fuelled ferry of this size and standard to be built in China.

"A new era in ferry operations was established in 2013 when Viking Line's 'Viking Grace' with Wartsila dual-fuel engines became the world's largest RoPax ferry to operate on LNG fuel. This latest Viking project represents another milestone as it will be the first vessel fitted with the highly efficient Wartsila 31DF engines. Both cases highlight the value our know-how and technology brings to our customers," remarked Roger Holm, President, Wartsila Marine Solutions.

"The value of operating with Wartsila engines fuelled by LNG has been well established through our experience with the 'Viking Grace'. Furthermore, the LNGPac fuel system provides the necessary safety and non-stop operation required, so we had no hesitation in once again specifying Wartsila for this project," said Jan Hanses, President and CEO, Viking Line.

As previously reported, last week Wartsila introduced a gas-fuelled version of the Wartsila 31 engine, the Wartsila 31SG.

According to Wartsila, the key feature of the new 31SG engine is its ability to achieve simple-cycle efficiency levels in excess of 50 percent - compared to around 40 percent with modern gas turbines. This, Wartsila says, is "a milestone achievement in the energy sector".