Page 42: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2023)

GENSETS a key part of Wärtsilä’s decarbonization strategy, but when asked what the most important developments in gensets were, Janne Klemola, General Manager, Product Manage- ment – Wärtsilä Marine Power, said: maximizing fuel ef? - ciency. “That’s why one of the most important developments in gensets is around improving the reliability of the power - this can support with driving higher fuel ef? ciency and in turn lowering overall emissions from a vessel. What’s more, if you can also extend the time needed between overhauls and/or major repairs - through using cutting edge arti? cial

MAN Energy Solutions introduced its auxiliary intelligence and advanced diagnostics – this can help vessel

MAN 35/44DF CD engine in June 2023. owners improve asset ef? ciency and reduce both operating costs and emissions.”

Klemola sees this as part of a larger endeavor to continue to re? ne and enhance genset technology. Another part is the

MAN has received its ? rst order ongoing development of genset automation and integration of for small-bore, seven-cylinder controls with other systems, such as energy storage systems.

MAN 21/31DF-M methanol-burning

Mark Harrison, Product Strategy Manager for Caterpillar gensets for six PCTCs.

Marine, says: “The most important developments that we are seeing in gensets at the moment is how they are being applied differently in modern power systems. How can we best utilize batteries, hybrids, and gensets in harmony to achieve our ob- jectives? Can those bene? ts overcome the inherent CapEx and

OpEx challenges? At Caterpillar, we are focusing on overall system ef? ciency: Are our generators optimally sized? Are those generators operating at peak ef? ciency? Can we start or stop a genset to operate at a more ef? cient point from an overall vessel perspective? Are we optimizing the usage of electrons versus fuel molecules for the best blend of reliability and ef? ciency?”

The days of simply specifying in gensets seems to be fad- ing quickly, he says. “Customers now need to decide more than ever if larger gensets for reliability are more important than smaller, more power dense ones, based on how they are expected to operate in real life. One speci? c change we are ex- pecting is the generators of the future (integrated into hybrid systems) will operate at much higher load factors. Have we optimized the gensets for this new reality?”

A modular, hybrid and fuel-? exible approach to onboard power has the potential change thinking about gensets and ship design, and it is becoming evident in newbuilding orders.

Dutch shipping company Transtal Shipping has signed a con- tract with Thecla Bodewes Shipyards for the construction of a 5,100dwt diesel-electric multi-purpose vessel. Fuel ? exibility is key to the design which incorporates three gensets and two electric motors. The vessel is ready for future fuels such as methanol or hydrogen, with space reserved on board for al- ternative energy sources without having to replace the electric

Volvo Penta and propulsion system.

CMB.TECH have collaborated to

Sam Gombra, co-founder of ÈTA Shipping, came up with create dual-fuel, a highly ? exible solution for a coastal cargo ship. The design, hydrogen engines.

CMB.TECH MAN Energy Solutions MAN Energy Solutions

ÈTA 6700, is initially diesel-electric, but is designed so that 42 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • November 2023

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