Wärtsilä Hybrid Upgrade for Østensjø Rederi Offshore Construction Vessels

Finnish maritime equipment specialist Wärtsilä has won a contract to provide its Hybrid Upgrade solution for retrofitting two offshore construction vessels owned by Norwegian operator Østensjø Rederi. 

The two ships, the ‘Edda Fauna’ and ‘Edda Flora’, were built in 2008. Østensjø Rederi opted for the Wärtsilä Hybrid Upgrade solution in order to give the ships a more attractive environmental profile for potential charterers. 

The Wärtsilä Hybrid Upgrade solution will include the company’s new electronic DC bus-link, which allows a vessel to operate in DP 2 and 3 modes with a closed DC bus in hybrid, and an open bus on the AC system. The reduced running of the engines saves fuel and lessens the carbon footprint, while engine maintenance requirements are also alleviated, Wärtsilä said.

"The upgrading project will allow less use of the ships’ engines with correspondingly lower levels of exhaust emissions while operating in dynamic positioning (DP) mode, and will also lower emission levels in all other operational modes," Wärtsilä said.

Egil Arne Skare, Chief Project Officer, Østensjø Rederi said: “We intend to be a shipping company that leads in sustainable operations. Today’s carbon footprint is to be reduced through systematic efforts and continued technical development at all levels. This is why we have chosen to upgrade these vessels to hybrid propulsion, which is an area of technology where Wärtsilä excels.

Delivery of the Wärtsilä equipment to both vessels is planned for January 2021.