Wärtsilä Corporation was awarded a contract in February 2006 for the main and auxiliary engines for two new high-speed Ro-Ro passenger ferries being built at the Rauma shipyard of Aker Yards ASA in Finland for the Norwegian ferry company Color Line AS. With reliable Wärtsilä engines, the ferries will form major transport links between Norway and Denmark.
For each ferry, Wärtsilä will deliver four nine-cylinder Wärtsilä 46 main engines with a combined maximum continuous power of 38,400 kW, together with four six-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 auxiliary engines of 12,000 kW combined maximum power. The auxiliary engines will be equipped with common-rail fuel injection to ensure lower exhaust emissions, and operation without visible smoke.
Wärtsilä will also deliver a CBM (Condition Based Maintenance) System covering both main and auxiliary engines. CBM is a system to support preventive maintenance and fault avoidance by monitoring engine condition, analysing trends and diagnosing faults. CBM reduces overall maintenance and operational costs at increased safety and reliability.
Color Line will operate the two ferries on the Color Superspeed service across the Skagerrak between Norway and Denmark. The first vessel is due to enter service on the Kristiansand – Hirtshals route in December 2007 and the second in April 2008 on the Larvik – Hirtshals route.
The 33,500 grt ferries will have a length of 211.3 m and a breadth of 25.8 m. They will each carry up to 1900 passengers and have some 2000 m lane metres on their vehicle decks for all types of Ro-Ro vehicles and cargo. Their service speed of up to 27 knots will reduce the crossing times between Kristiansand and Hirtshals to three-and-one-quarter hours and between Larvik and Hirtshals to three-and-three-quarters hours. The ferries are designed for very efficient turn-round in ports of no more than 45 minutes.
The choice of Wärtsilä engines for these two new ferries was made on the basis of good operating experience with Wärtsilä’s engines in other Color Line vessels: The latest being the cruise ferry “Color Fantasy” built at Aker Yards in Turku, Finland.
Installation of the engines will incorporate special measures to ensure compliance with the noise and vibration limits set by the Comfort Class notation of Det Norske Veritas.
Color Line staff will receive training for the new Wärtsilä engines at Wärtsilä’s Land & Sea Academy in Turku, Finland.
Media contact:
Marit Holmlund-Sund
Public Relations Manager
Wärtsilä Corporation
Direct tel: +358 10 709 1439
Direct fax: +358 10 709 1425
e-mail: marit.holmlund-sund@wartsila.com
Internet: www.wartsila.com
Notes to the editor:
Wärtsilä enhances the business of its customers by providing them with complete lifecycle power solutions. When creating better and environmentally compatible technologies, Wärtsilä focuses on the marine and energy markets with products and solutions as well as services. Through innovative products and services, Wärtsilä sets out to be the most valued business partner of all its customers. This is achieved by the dedication of more than 12.000 professionals manning 130 Wärtsilä offices in over 60 countries around the world.
