Wärtsilä will provide methanol-powered auxiliary engines for five new container vessels for COSCO Shipping Lines Co., Ltd and seven new container vessels for Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL).
Wärtsilä noted that each vessel will be powered by three 8-cylinder and two 6-cylinder Wärtsilä 32M engines.
This is reportedly the largest order for methanol-fuelled newbuild vessels placed by the Chinese maritime sector to date. Wärtsilä booked the order in December 2023.
The ships will feature SCR exhaust cleaning systems and alternators to enhance the solution. These will be provided by Wärtsilä’s joint venture, CWEC (Shanghai) Company Ltd. (CWEC).
The Wärtsilä 32M methanol-fuelled engine has received type approval certificates from several classification societies around the world.
According to the company, studies have indicated that utilising methanol instead of heavy fuel oil can reduce CO2 and other GHG emissions. Green methanol extracted from renewable sources, in particular, has the potential to reduce its carbon footprint even lower, making it one of the primary decarbonisation alternatives for carriers in the future.
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Roger Holm, President of Wärtsilä Marine and Executive Vice President at Wärtsilä Corporation, said: “With decarbonisation a major priority for the maritime industry, sustainable fuels, such as methanol, will play a vital role in helping shipping to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
“As a leader in shaping the decarbonisation of marine and energy industries, we continue to make strong investments in developing new fuel-flexible technologies and products which enable the industry’s transition towards greener fuels.
“It’s why we value our long-term relationship with COSCO Shipping Lines and OOCL and are strongly aligned with their vision in accelerating towards net-zero emissions shipping.”
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The Nantong COSCO KHI Ship Engineering yard will build 24,000 TEU ships for OOCL, while the Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering yard will build the same number of TEU ships for COSCO Shipping Lines.
The vessels are anticipated to begin commercial operations in 2026.
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