Wärtsilä to equip world’s first methanol-fueled hybrid RoRo vessels

September 13, 2023, by Aida Čučuk

The world’s first methanol-fueled hybrid RoRo vessels, being built at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai) for the Swedish shipping company Stena RoRo, will use technology group Wärtsilä’s solutions.

Specifically, Wärtsilä will supply an integrated hybrid propulsion system for the two vessels, with each vessel to be equipped with two Wärtsilä 32M multi-fuel engines capable now of operating on methanol fuel and with ammonia-ready notation.

Wärtsilä will also supply the MethanolPac fuel storage, supply and control system, the gearboxes, two controllable pitch propellers (CPP), three bow thrusters, the NACOS navigation system, three Wärtsilä 20 auxiliary engines and the hybrid electric system consisting of shore power, batteries, shaft generators, converters, transformers as well as the energy management system making it all work together.

Each vessel will also benefit from its Wärtsilä Hybrid Solution, the technology group said, adding that the vessels will also be equipped with its shore power solution enabling carbon-free operations when the vessels are in port.

Per Westling, Managing Director of Stena RoRo, stated: “These vessels are a further development of our previous cargo ship concepts where the focus on sustainability and future-proofing with multi-fuel combustion engines are prioritized. With the help of Wärtsilä’s advanced technology, we intend to have the greenest Ro-Ro vessels on the market.”

Roger Holm, President of Wärtsilä’s Marine Power business, commented: “We are proud to be supporting these innovative hybrid vessels with our methanol-fueled engines and electrification systems. Both Stena RoRo and Wärtsilä share the same commitment to decarbonizing shipping operations, and these vessels represent a further step in this direction by being the first methanol hybrid ships in their class. Not only will the emissions be minimized, but they will also have the most efficient energy utilization during operations.”

To note, the 147-meter-long ships are expected to have a 2,800-lane meter capacity and will operate in the Stena Line Irish Sea system. They are scheduled for delivery in June, and November 2025 and the Wärtsilä equipment will be delivered to the yard in 2024.

Wärtsilä and Stena RoRo, long-time partners, are currently cooperating on a number of other Ro-Pax projects.