Page 32: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 2024)

CRUISE FEATURE uilt by Rauma Marine Constructions, in Rauma, control system and bow thruster motors.

Finland, and launched in 2021, the 150-meter-long In addition to the engines, Wärtsilä also supplied its LNG-

Aurora Botnia boasts a long list of onboard equip- Pac technology for LNG storage, supply control and monitor-

Bment that help it to earn its “green” designation, a ing, as well as systems for thrusters and propulsion control, label that is con? rmed via a Clean Design notation from clas- hybrid energy management, navigation and exhaust treatment si? cation society DNV. The ship is also compliant with the In- (all the Wärtsilä equipment and systems are covered by a 10- ternational Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2030 greenhouse year Wärtsilä optimized maintenance agreement).

gas reduction target. Kenneth Widell, Senior Project Manager, Sustainable Fu-

Wasaline CEO Peter Ståhlberg describes Aurora Botnia as els & Decarbonization at Wärtsilä, explained that the engines “a masterpiece of cooperation” and noted that the vessel is are most ef? cient when operating at higher power. The hy- over 80% domestic made. brid solution gives the opportunity to operate fewer engines “I’m really proud of the Aurora Botnia. It has been a dream job at a higher power rating for better ef? ciency, while the battery to make the design,” Ståhlberg said. Starting from scratch, Wasa- pack is there for peak shaving and as spinning reserve to op- line was able to work with its supply chain partners in Finland timize engine operation. The batteries also provide power for and abroad to choose all of the technology it wanted on board. maneuvering in port for the vessel’s hotel load.

At the heart of the vessel are four Wärtsilä 31DF dual-fuel Ståhlberg said the vessel is also very well planned and built engines that can burn lique? ed natural gas (LNG) and/or bio- for ef? cient loading and unloading in port, where it connects gas. The medium-speed four-stroke engines are part of a high- to shore power for emissions-free stops. During the summer, ly ef? cient hybrid solution that includes a 2.2 MWh battery the vessel makes four trips per day. During each 45-minute energy storage system (ESS) from Swiss-based Leclanché. port call, the vessel unloads about 200 cars, 12-15 lorries and

Denmark-based Danfoss provided liquid-cooled 6 MW AC 900 people before taking the same numbers back onboard for drives for power and hybrid propulsion systems, and Finnish the return voyage. Aurora Botnia has 1,500 lane meters of ca- company VEO supplied a hybrid switchboard solution. pacity, and its cargo deck are strengthened and designed with

The vessel is equipped with a pair of 5.8-MW Azipod extra height for transport of larger and heavier cargoes such as electric propulsion units from ABB (also in Finland), which wind turbine components.

claims the technology can unlock fuel savings of up to 20%

Continuous Improvement compared to traditional propulsion.

Finland-based WE Tech Solutions developed the electrical Through an agreement with Wasaline, Wärtsilä is able to uti- design and vessel’s power generation and hybrid propulsion lize the vessel as an R&D test platform and technology demon- system, propulsion switchboards, propulsion frequency con- strator. “Aurora Botnia is a ? oating R&D laboratory and under verters, generators, energy management system, propulsion continuous development and optimization,” Ståhlberg said.

32 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • January 2024

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