Dredgers operate in harsh environments and extreme temperatures. Wärtsilä solutions meet the needs and can handle the long operational hours, even when the equipment is constantly running at maximum power.
From the earliest times of diesel engines, Wärtsilä equipment and systems have been installed in complex vessels such as dredgers. Our power solutions continue to be the choice for dredgers built by the world’s leading yards. For example, these dredger owners have already gained significant advantages from choosing Wärtsilä.
DEME Group – To stay ahead of tightening emissions limits and deliver on its ambitious sustainability promises, global marine solutions provider DEME approached Wärtsilä. The resulting cooperation led to the creation of Wärtsilä’s GHG reduction package for its 34DF dual-fuel engines.
UKD Marlin - When the engines in a dredger owned by UK Dredging were close to the end of their lifecycle, the solution was to re-power the vessel with new Wärtsilä W20 engines.
The top three challenges faced by dredger owners and operators are optimizing CAPEX and OPEX, maintaining profitability, and staying competitive in the market.
Dredgers are special vessels used to remove loose material such as sand, silt, gravel and clay from areas such as harbours and riverbeds. Dredgers move between the trailing area where they are working and the unloading area where they offload the material from onboard hoppers.
To maximise the amount of material moved, dredgers sail at full speed most of the time. This means that vessel maximum power is configured for transit operation. During trailing operations power demands fluctuate widely to match the needs of onboard equipment such as engines, thrusters and pumps.
Three strong solutions help you meet these challenges: fuel-flexible engines, hybrid propulsion system and a battery-based energy storage system ESS.
Discover the continuously developing portfolio of powerful dual-fuel engines from Wärtsilä. Our fuel-flexible engines are a future-proof investment.
Because the power requirements depend on the operational mode, a flexible hybrid system offers many advantages. One example is the Wärtsilä hybrid propulsion system, which includes:
An integrated energy management system (EMS) will ensure optimal operation under all conditions for maximum efficiency.
The battery-based ESS performs several key functions:
Running both main engines allows the vessel to maintain its position and cover the hotel load via power take-off (PTO) while cargo is unloaded. The engines can also power jet pumps used for discharge.
Running both main engines allows the vessel to maintain its position and cover the hotel load and thruster demand via power-take-off (PTO) while the vessel is manoeuvring – whether in port or during trailing or discharging operations.
Running both main engines and the auxiliary gensets covers the power demand of the onboard pumps used to transfer material to shore.
Main engines, auxiliary gensets and thrusters all run to allow the vessel to maintain its position and to provide the power needed to discharge material into the air accurately via the discharge pipeline.
The main engines run at full power to enable maximum transit speed. The PTO covers the onboard electrical power demand.
The main engines drive the propellers and cover the vast combined power demand of the onboard pumps, tunnel thrusters (if needed) and hotel load.
All DG run to either pump material to shore or rainbow it into the air via the discharge pipeline, as well as to power the tunnel thrusters, which allow the vessel to maintain its heading. The hybrid system manages power fluctuations to ensure smooth DG operation.
These operations can also be performed without engaging the bow thrusters.
Some or all of the DG run at full power to enable maximum transit speed and to cover the onboard electrical power demand. The hybrid system both manages power fluctuations to ensure smooth DG operation and helps to reduce DG running hours.
The main engines drive the propellers and cover the vast combined power demand of the onboard pumps, main and tunnel thrusters (if needed) and hotel load. The hybrid system both manages power fluctuations to ensure smooth DG operation and helps to reduce DG running hours.
Keeping your dredger well maintained can save fuel. Wärtsilä offers a wide variety of maintenance and repair services, and you can focus on your core business.
Sourcing genuine marine spare parts from Wärtsilä as the OEM will deliver important benefits.
A maintenance agreement means that your maintenance budget is predictable. Properly maintained vessels are more efficient, which helps you stay profitable.
Ruud Godeschalk - Area Maintenance Manager - Boskalis Dredging
Maximum efficiency and minimum labour costs are essential for the successful operation of dredgers. Wärtsilä’s products and solutions are designed to match this requirement and are based on industrial state-of-the-art hardware components.
Wärtsilä’s dredger control technology allows control of the entire dredging process from one central station. All relevant data for the production process and cost-optimized control of the dredging operations are displayed to the operator.
Wärtsilä’s technical expertise is complemented by an open-minded approach to what dredging companies need and want.
Choose Wärtsilä's solutions to optimize your dredger's performance, reduce costs, and maintain a competitive edge in the industry. Contact us today to discuss your specific needs and find the best solution for your dredging operations.
