Wärtsilä Sees 41% Methane Emission Reduction on New LNG-Fuelled Engine

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Wednesday November 1, 2023

Engineering firm Wärtsilä has developed a new version of its 31DF engine that can deliver 41% lower methane emissions than previous models.

The new Wärtsilä 31DF engine reduces methane emissions by up to 56% and NOx emissions by up to 86% on a 50% load point, the company said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. The average methane emission reduction is 41%.

The firm has already installed the new version as one of the four engines on board Wasaline's ferry the Aurora Botnia. 

"We are very committed to decarbonisation, and we have worked closely with Wärtsilä to make sustainable shipping a reality," Peter Ståhlberg, managing director of Wasaline, said in the statement.

"It is a goal-oriented partnership that benefits both companies, as well as the industry as a whole.

"We have been pleased to allow the 'Aurora Botnia' to be utilised as a floating laboratory, and we are excited to see the success of this latest Wärtsilä technology breakthrough."

Because methane has a much greater impact on global warming than carbon dioxide, releases of unburnt natural gas from LNG-fuelled ships significantly impair their environmental credentials when compared to other alternative propulsion methods. But LNG bunkering supporters have repeatedly argued the methane slip issue can be gradually eliminated over time.

Ship & Bunker News Team
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