Wallenius Wilhelmsen welcomes third energy-efficient HERO ship

Norway-based shipping and logistics company Wallenius Wilhelmsen has named MV Tannhauser, its newest HERO large car and truck carrier (LCTC) vessel.

On 8 December 2020, WW officially welcomed the newbuilding in a live stream virtual naming ceremony.

“We turned a challenge into an opportunity to do something new, which has allowed everyone to participate,” Craig Jasienski, Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s CEO, in his welcoming address from the Oslo offices, commented.

Tannhauser, which recently completed its maiden voyage from Asia to Europe, is part of the WW Ocean fleet renewal programme aimed at replacing old tonnage with efficient, environmentally friendly units.

Built at the CSIC Xingang shipyard in China and with a capacity equivalent to 7,700 cars, MV Tannhauser, like its sister vessels Titus and Traviata, is designed with energy efficiency in mind.

According to the company, extensive modelling has been performed to optimise the hull to diminish drag and wave resistance, while the engine has been tuned for low-load operation, which reduces fuel consumption.

The vessel’s specially designed bow delivers better wave-cutting ability than conventional bows to reduce the seagoing resistance and thereby the propulsive energy demand.

What is more, the vessel’s bunker system, which can operate on different bunker qualities, further improves efficiency, while the electrically hoistable deck panels in the cargo hold allow for fast, safe and flexible operations when transporting different types of cargo such as breakbulk, rolling equipment and cars.

“Given Tannhauser’s technology and capabilities, she will not only help to service our customers, but will also help to contribute to the target set by IMO of 40% reduced emissions by 2030,” Jasienski explained, adding that Wallenius Wilhelmsen has already achieved a significant 35% output reduction in CO2 emissions per tonne/km on its ships.