In February, Wärtsilä announced its collaboration with Solstad Offshore on fleet decarbonisation ambitions, with the aim to achieve a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 for Solstad Offshore’s 90 vessel fleet. The agreement aims to identify, evaluate, and implement solutions that will increase fuel efficiency and significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Solstad’s offshore vessels. Each vessel will be assessed for appropriate solutions, possible operational improvements, and life extension considerations. Wärtsilä will initially act as an advisor and technical expert to Solstad. The agreement also allows the company to become a possible supplier for the decarbonisation solutions selected.
In March, Wärtsilä announced the opening of a new Expertise Centre in Houston, Texas. The Houston Expertise Centre will deliver support to its USA and Canadian energy sector customers, thereby enhancing the company’s ability to grow its service business.
In April, Wärtsilä announced that it will coordinate a consortium of shipping stakeholders in a project aiming to develop demonstrators for 2-stroke and 4-stroke marine engines running on ammonia fuel. The outcomes of the project will include a lab-based demonstrator for the 4-stroke ammonia engine, and a lab-based test engine followed by a vessel retrofit for the 2-stroke version by 2025. In addition to advancing the engine concepts, the Ammonia 2-4 project will further develop concepts around fuel handling and safety, as well as contributing valuable input towards a regulatory framework for ammonia.
In May, Wärtsilä announced two partnerships for hydrogen blending with natural gas in engine power plants. In Portugal, Wärtsilä will collaborate with the energy solutions provider and independent power producer Capwatt in the testing of blends of up to 10% green hydrogen in a Wärtsilä 34SG engine. In Michigan, USA fuel blends of up to 25% hydrogen will be tested in WEC Energy Group’s A.J. Mihm power plant operating with three Wärtsilä 50SG engines. Wärtsilä engines can be operated on hydrogen/natural gas blends with up to 25% hydrogen, and the company is working towards an engine and power plant concept for pure hydrogen operations by 2025.
In June, Wärtsilä opened its new technology centre, the Sustainable Technology Hub, in Vaasa, Finland. The Hub acts as a global ecosystem of collaboration by inviting customers, partner companies and academia to incubate, test, and validate ideas. A new, modern Wärtsilä Land & Sea Academy training centre, customer Expertise Centres providing remote operational support and predictive maintenance solutions, and the development of new digital innovations will play a central role in supporting customers to optimise their operations throughout the lifecycle of their assets, and to accelerate their decarbonisation activities. The Hub also features a modern fuel laboratory, flexible technology and engine testing facilities, as well as a state-of-the-art production system with a high level of automation. The construction of the new centre was announced in 2018 with a total investment of around EUR 250 million.
In June, Wärtsilä announced the acquisition of PortLink Global, a global port solutions company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Founded in 2007, PortLink is a leading provider of port efficiency solutions, including port management information systems, port community systems, pilotage dispatch systems, and local port services. PortLink has a global partnership with more than 3,500 users, and a customer network in more than 20 countries. Its existing workforce of approximately 20 professionals will be integrated within Wärtsilä Voyage.
In July, Wärtsilä announced that it has completed its exit from the Russian market following the announcement in April 2022 to scale down its activities there. The company has been fully committed to complying with all trade sanctions applicable to its operations from the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and has now closed business operations in Russia across all business units.
In October, Wärtsilä announced its intention to integrate the Voyage business with Marine Power to strengthen the end-to-end offering, and to accelerate the turnaround of the Voyage business. The intention is to link the unique digital expertise in Voyage with the well-established Performance Services, thereby taking the next step in creating end-to-end digital solutions for maritime customers. With this offering, Wärtsilä can further optimise marine operations for lower costs and reduced emissions. Customers can benefit from Wärtsilä’s unique set of capabilities, combining the optimisation of vessel operations with ports traffic management and performance-based services for port-to-port operations. The integrated organisation became effective as of January 1, 2023.
Strategic projects, partnerships, acquisitions and divestments in 2019
Strategic projects, partnerships, acquisitions, divestments, and joint ventures in 2018
Strategic projects, acquisitions, joint ventures, and manufacturing footprint in 2017
Strategic projects, acquisitions, joint ventures, and manufacturing footprint in 2016
Strategic projects, acquisitions, joint ventures, and expansion of the network in 2015
Wärtsilä took several steps during 2005 to strengthen the leading positions of its Ship Power and Service businesses globally: