Wärtsilä Hybrid System Set to Boost Bunker Savings on LNG-Powered OSV

Wärtsilä will install a bunker-saving hybrid system with batteries onboard Viking Princess. Image: Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä today announced that it has signed an agreement with Eidesvik Offshore ASA (Eidesvik) to install a bunker-saving hybrid system with batteries onboard its liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered offshore supply vessel (OSV) Viking Princess.

Wärtsilä says the agreement is set to see Viking Princess become the first OSV in which batteries reduce the number of generators onboard, with the new energy storage solution expected to improve the OSV's engine efficiency, generating fuel savings and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the process.

"The Hybrid Energy System is a forward looking solution that not only reduces fuel consumption and emissions, but also contributes to safer and more efficient operations. We are confident that this project will have a positive effect on the industry," said Cato Esperø, Sales Director, Wärtsilä Norway.

"There is an increasing focus in shipping to reduce emissions and we believe that ship owners will continue to install hybrid solutions – both on existing vessels and new builds."

Viking Princess, which provides supplies to oil rigs in the North Sea and Barents Sea, runs on four LNG-powered Wärtsilä engines.

"Eidesvik and Wärtsilä have had a long and fruitful cooperation since 2003, when Viking Energy, the world's first LNG driven supply vessel, was launched. The cooperation was developed further with the instalment of batteries to support the generators of Viking Lady in 2015," said Vermund Hjelland, Vice President Technical development, Eidesvik Offshore.

"Now Viking Princess becomes the first offshore supply vessel, where one of its generators will be fully replaced with batteries. We are grateful to both Wärtsilä and the NCE Maritime Clean Tech, who made this important and progressive cooperation possible."

Wärtsilä is slated to install the new hybrid system in September 2017.