Wärtsilä dual-fuel technology selected for 'green ship' project by South Korea Government.
Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply the main engine for a Korean government Incheon Port Authority (IPA) Guideship. Environmental sustainablility is a priority for this ship.
The 200 gross tonnage Guideship is to be designed and coordinated by Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) in Korea on behalf of the state-owned Incheon Port Authority (IPA).
The in-line Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuelled engine with its 9 cylinders can operate on either gas or liquid fuel oils, and in gas mode is capable of meeting the most stringent emission regulations. The Guideship will operate in the port of Incheon, carrying passengers at times.
In gas mode the engine will be fully compliant with MARPOL Tier III exhaust gas emission regulations. "The fuel flexibility that our DF engines offer enables not only environmental sustainability, but fuel cost savings as well, since these engines can operate on a wide range of fuels,” says Aaron Bresnahan, Vice President, Wärtsilä Ship Power, Specials.
The unique feature of Wärtsilä’s dual-fuel engine technology is that it incorporates two separate fuel injection systems. When operating on gas, the electronically controlled common-rail pilot fuel injection system injects a very small amount of liquid fuel only. This makes it possible to conform to certain environmental restrictions that couldn’t be met when using conventional injection systems. The conventional system is used when the DF engine is operated on standard liquid marine fuels. The switch between fuels can be made automatically and without loss of power.
Wärtsilä’s dual-fuel engines, used in both land-based and marine applications, recently passed the significant 5 million running hours milestone which it is claimed cannot be equalled by any other manufacturer.