Timo Koponen News

Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has divested its pumps business to Solix Group, a Scandinavian investment company with offices in Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmö, Sweden.According to a press release from the marine technology giant, Wärtsilä Pumps has belonged to the Wärtsilä Marine Solutions organisation and became part of the company along with the acquisition of Hamworthy in 2012. The Wärtsilä Pumps business recorded sales of approximately 50 MEUR in 2017.The divestment will enable Wärtsilä to devote greater focus to its Smart Marine vision. This is based on the rapid introduction of new technologies, which are creating unprecedented levels of efficiency and cost savings.

Wärtsilä will provide an integrated cargo handling and fuel gas system for two new liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers for Belgium-based owner Exmar. The 80,000m³ very large gas carriers are being built at HHIC-Philippines (Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Philippines) in Subic Bay, and will be the first vessels capable of running on LPG, according to Wärtsilä, who secured the order in July 2018.Wärtsilä, which offers ‘LPG as fuel’ as a fully integrated part of the cargo handling system…

The technology group Wärtsilä’s Aquarius EC Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) has been granted Type Approval by the United States Coastguard (USCG) authorities.This approval verifies that the product has met the specified regulatory, technical, and safety requirements, and represents an endorsement of its design and efficiency principles.As part of the approval process, the Aquarius EC (Electro-Chlorination) system’s technology underwent an extensive land and sea test programme, during which it delivered exceptional performance.“We are naturally delighted that following a stringent review and investigation process, the USCG has granted Type Approval. This follows similar approval given by the IMO in 2013.

A collaboration between three of the marine sector’s major technology companies aims to make the use of liquified natural gas (LNG) fuel a truly viable option for ship owners and operators.By combining their expertise and experience, WinGD, Wärtsilä and GTT deliver an effective, streamlined approach for achieving compliance with environmental legislation.LNG fuel, considered a key enabler of ‘green’ propulsion for ships, has virtually no sulphur content, produces 80 percent less nitrogen oxide (NOx) and 30 percent less CO2 emissions than conventional marine fuels.

Wärtsilä will supply its Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) recovery technology, LNG fuel gas handling systems and the auxiliary engines for two new shuttle tankers being built for Singapore based AET Tankers at the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in South Korea. The order, worth in total more than $37 million, was booked in January 2018. The ships will operate on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as the primary fuel, but VOC – the gas evaporating from the oil cargo tanks – will also be utilised as fuel by mixing it with the LNG, thereby reducing the vessels’ bunkering needs. This is made possible by Wärtsilä’s VOC recovery system, which by combining the VOC with the LNG, provides the potential for savings of over 3000 tons of fuel each year per vessel.

Wärtsilä and GTT finalized a cooperation agreement at the Marintec conference and exhibition in Shanghai, China on December 5. The aim of the cooperation is to explore potential business opportunities in the marine sector in relation to liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage, fuel gas supply systems and associated services that will benefit both shipyards and vessel owners. Wärtsilä has experience and in-house expertise in LNG fuel gas applications, as well as gas carrier process know-how, while GTT has capabilities in developing cryogenic membrane containment solutions. By collaborating in the delivery of jointly agreed projects, the two companies will be able to propose solutions that optimize onboard LNG fuel gas storage and operations.

The technology group Wärtsilä is introducing its Voyage Emissions Reduction (VER) system as a means for increasing oil tanker revenues, while also significantly aiding the environment through reduced emissions. The system effectively eliminates the problem of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from tankers during laden voyages. VOC’s are organic chemicals having a high vapour pressure resulting from their low boiling point, which leads to extensive evaporation. On average, an oil tanker will emit 0.085 percent of its contained cargo per each week. For a 320,000 DWT Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), this amounts to 270 tons of lost cargo per week. The Wärtsilä VER system is being made available in two versions.

As the maritime world increasingly mulls alternative fuel and propulsion solutions, Maritime Reporter & Engineering News discusses the path ahead for (liquefied natural gas (LNG) with Timo Koponen, VP, Flow & Gas Solutions, Gas and LNG, Wärtsilä. The road toward acceptance of LNG as marine fuel has neither been short nor straight, but anyone who knows this market could not reasonably expect anything different. “Even though it (LNG) is very well proven both from the technology side and its benefit to the environment, nevertheless there are too many people who still doubt,” said Koponen.

Wärtsilä said it has reached a deal to acquire a Sweden based provider of turnkey biogas upgrading solutions, Puregas Solutions. The transaction is valued (enterprise value) at SEK 280m ($34.5 million) with an additional maximum sum of SEK 70m ($8.6 million) to be paid based on the performance of the business in the coming year. Puregas, a leading player in its field with subsidiary companies in Germany, Denmark, the U.K., and the U.S., utilizes a unique CApure process to convert raw biogas to biomethane and renewable natural gas. According to Wärtsilä, the acquisition will provide added equipment and expertise in biogas upgrading, and will complement well the company's existing position in the biogas liquefaction market.

Wärtsilä said it has been awarded contracts to supply its re-liquefaction plants to three new LNG carriers currently under construction. One ship is being built at the Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) yard in South Korea for the international owner and operator Gaslog. The others are for Norway based Knutsen and are being built at the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) yard in South Korea. The order was booked for the Gaslog ship in April 2017 and for the Knutsen ships in May/June 2017.

Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply the re-gasification system for an FSRU (Floating, Storage, Re-gasification Unit) conversion project that Höegh LNG plans to carry out on a modern LNG vessel. The contract was signed in August. The Wärtsilä re-gasification system to be supplied will feature regas technology using water glycol as the intermediate medium instead of propane. This provides a more compact solution being some 15 percent smaller and lighter than the propane based system. "We have enjoyed a good relationship with the customer for many years and have supplied them with a number of regas systems. Repeat orders are the most positive endorsement of customer satisfaction…

Wärtsilä and other leading marine industry players have formed a coalition, known as SEA/LNG, to accelerate the widespread adoption of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel. The coalition aims to help break down the barriers hindering the global development of LNG in marine applications, thereby improving the environmental performance of the shipping industry. In addition to Wärtsilä, the other partners in the SEA/LNG coalition include Carnival Corporation, DNV-GL, ENGIE, ENN Group, GE Marine, GTT, Lloyds Register, Mitsubishi, NYK Line, Port of Rotterdam, Qatargas, Shell Downstream and Tote. Each member organization commits mutually agreed human resources, data analysis, and knowledge sharing in support of the SEA/LNG initiatives and activities.

Regasifying and storing LNG offshore has allowed customers to import gas without committing to land-based infrastructure. The option also speeds up access to vast amounts of energy. “Wärtsilä focuses on completing the LNG value chain,” says Timo Koponen, Vice President, Flow and Gas Solutions, Wärtsilä. “It’s basically creating an alternative to pipeline gas. The end users vary, from industrial clients connected to smaller FSRUs – essentially an LNG carrier equiped by the addition of on-board storage and regas facilities – to large utilities. Last year, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) ordered Wärtsilä seawater/propane based regasification modules for two FSRU customers, Höegh LNG and Gazprom. A bait for all types of consumers is expediency.

A new liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage and regasification barge concept introduced by Wärtsilä's Marine Solutions and Energy Solutions businesses aims to provide a flexible means of meeting small- to medium-scale requirements where pure land-based LNG options are limited. The Wärtsilä Mobile LNG can be combined with a barge-mounted power plant having an output capacity of up to 250 MW, or it can alternatively be used to supply conventional land-based power plants. According to Wärtsilä…

South Korean shipyard Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has ordered two seawater/propane based regasification modules from Wärtsilä. The systems are to be installed on floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) vessels owned by Höegh LNG, the Norway based owner and operator of floating energy solutions, and by Russian energy company Gazprom. The contracts, which were signed in July, also include an option for a further contract from HHI for another Höegh vessel that is valid until December of this year. Both regasification systems are modularized for easy installation and will be supplied with seawater filter and steam/seawater heating modules, Wärtsilä said.

A series of four LNG carriers being built by the Hudong-Zhongua Shipbuilding yard in China will feature Wärtsilä LNG reliquefaction plants and gas handling systems. The ships are owned by Bermuda based Teekay Corporation, China LNG Shipping (CLNG), CNOOC Energy Technology Co of China, and BW Gas of Norway. The contracts with Wärtsilä were issued by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding and were signed during the fourth quarter. The award of these contracts is a significant breakthrough into the Chinese market for Wärtsilä LNG reliquefaction plants and gas handling systems for LNG carriers…

Six new 87,000 cubic meters capacity very large ethane carriers (VLECs), being built at the Samsung Heavy Industries yard in South Korea, will feature Wärtsilä gas handling systems. The contract, which includes an option for additional vessels within this series, was signed in September, and deliveries of the Wärtsilä solutions are expected to commence at the end of 2016 and complete in 2017. These vessels will reportedly be the largest ethane carriers ever built and represent a new generation of such vessels mainly transporting ethane as feed stock to the petrochemical industry.

Wärtsilä said it signed a contract in late 2013 for a range of pumping solutions for a new Floating Storage Unit (FSU) which will operate on the Mariner oilfield in the North Sea. Wärtsilä's contract was signed with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) which will build the FSU in South Korea on behalf of Statoil, the Norway based international energy company. Delivery of the Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for spring 2015, and the FSU is expected to be in operation in 2017. The Wärtsilä…

Wärtsilä's series of pumping systems for Statoil. Wärtsilä's ability to supply a complete portfolio of solutions for the marine and offshore industry is again demonstrated with this latest order for a series of pumping systems for Statoil. Wärtsilä has won an order to supply a series of pumps to be installed on a new floating storage unit (FSU). The FSU is being built by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea for Statoil, the Norway based international energy company. When completed, it will be located on the Heidrun oil and gas field in the Norwegian Sea. Delivery of the Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for February 2014. The order for the deep well cargo offloading pumping system and the fire water pump package includes 38 deep well cargo pumps produced by Wärtsilä…

Wärtsilä's Ship Power is in the process of reorganizing into five Ship Power Business Segments: Merchant, Offshore, Cruise & Ferry, Navy, and Special Vessels. The aim is to respond better to market requirements, in terms of value proposition and technology development, as well as to be prepared for market fluctuations. In announcing the new business structure Jaakko Eskola, Group Vice President, Ship Power, stated: "We are experiencing an unparalleled upturn in our industry, and we are enjoying record order intake levels. However, it is important that we continue to seek ways to further increase our competitive edge on the market. The rollout of the new model started on July 1, 2007 and will be fully set up by the end of the year.