Corsica Linea taps Wärtsilä for optimal performance of new LNG-fueled ferry

French ferry operator Corsica Linea has awarded a ten-year Guaranteed Asset Performance (GAP) agreement to technology group Wärtsilä to ensure optimal performance of power systems onboard its new LNG-fueled RoPax vessel.

The 206-metre-long ship named A Galeotta was built at the Visentini yard in Italy and will sail between Marseille and Corsica in France. It was delivered in December 2022 and it entered commercial service in January 2023.

The ferry features two Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel main engines and two Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines.

Wärtsilä’s agreement with Corsica includes scheduled maintenance of the main and auxiliary engines, the LNGPac fuel gas handling system, and the gas valve units.

“With this agreement, we can support our customer with the most advanced partnership solution, including performance guarantees. It delivers cost predictability over the ten-year span, and will maximise the ship’s uptime, optimise performance and carbon footprint. This is all part of Wärtsilä’s lifecycle support approach, serving the customer with an optimal total cost of ownership,” said Henrik Wilhelms, Director Agreement Sales at Wärtsilä.

“Wärtsilä’s vast experience in LNG systems and solutions is unmatched in the industry, and their engines and related equipment were selected for this vessel. It is entirely natural therefore that we look to them to undertake the maintenance responsibilities, for which they are uniquely qualified,” said Lionel Adenet, Technical Director, Corsica Linea.

A Galeotta is Corsica Linea’s first LNG-powered vessel for which the construction contract was signed in 2019. By using LNG, the French shipping company expects to reduce NOx by 85% and CO2 by 25%, and achieve zero sulfur emission and fine particles.

Dutch Titan LNG was selected to provide LNG for this vessel and said at the time it will start with truck-to-ship operations for a period of time until the Krios vessel – a 4,500 cbm LNG bunker vessel – arrives. Krios will be able to supply the wider Mediterranean region with LNG and bioLNG as marine fuel.