Wärtsilä to Supply Propulsion for Brazilian Navy’s Polar Vessel

Wärtsilä announced it has been tapped to supply the main power generation and power conversion system for a new 103.16m Antarctic Support Vessel being built for the Brazilian Navy at Brazil’s Estaleiro Jurong Aracruz shipyard.

The new Polar Vessel – Navio Polar Almirante Saldanha (NPo) – will be operated by the Brazilian Navy and is of strategic importance for maintaining the Brazilian presence in the Antarctic continent and ensuring the continuity of the scientific research that has been carried out at the Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station.

The full Wärtsilä scope for the vessel includes three Wärtsilä 32 diesel generating sets, a diesel-electric power conversion system and two bow thruster drive systems, as well as the Power Management System.

The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery to the yard commencing in 2024, and the vessel is expected to be commissioned in 2025.