Page 33: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 2024)

WASALINE

EQUIPMENT LIST

AURORA BOTNIA MAIN PARTICULARS

Main engines: 4 × Wärtsilä 8V31DF (4 × 4,400 kW)

Ship Type: RoPax Ferry

Fuel type: LNG, biogas, battery (Leclanche)

Shipbuilder: Rauma Marine Constructions

Total installed power: 17,6MW

Material: Steel

Bow thrusters: Wärtsilä FPP 2*1500kW

Ship Owner: Kvarken Link

Propulsion: ABB Azipods (2 × 5.8 MW)

Ship Operator: NLC ferry (Wasaline)

Generators: WEG

Ship Designer(s): Foreship (outline) RMC (build)

Engine controls: Wärtsilä (Valmarine)

Delivery Date: August 2021

Radars: Wärtsilä (SAM)

Classi? cation: DNV, Finnish Ice Class 1A Super; SOLAS 2020;

Depth Sounders: Wärtsilä (SAM)

Stockholm Agreement

Auto Pilot: Wärtsilä (SAM)

Flag: Finland

Radios: Wärtsilä (SAM)

Length, (o.a.): 150 m

AIS: Wärtsilä (SAM)

Length, (b.p.): 137.02m

GPS: Wärtsilä (SAM)

Breadth, (molded): 26 m

GMDSS: Wärtsilä (SAM)

Draft, (designed): 5.95m

SatCom: Wärtsilä (SAM)

Draft, (scantling): 6.1 m

Mooring Equipment: Kongsberg

DWT (at design draft): 3,500 t

Fire extinguishing systems: Marioff

GT: 24,300 t

Fire detection system: Consilium

Speed: 20 knots

Heat exchangers: Alfa Laval

Passengers: 935

Motor starters: Promeco

Lane meters: 1,500

Marine Evacuation System: Viking Life Saving

Cabins: 68

Coatings: Jotun

Public Decks: 2

Ballast Water Management System: Norwegian Greentech

As an example, Wärtsilä piloted a new ultra-low-emis- rine gasoil due to higher LNG costs, and Wasaline was able sions version of its Wärtsilä 31DF engine aboard the ship to to cut total CO2 emissions by 51.8% (calculations based on help prove the technology before bringing it to market. On a data from 2022 and 2013, the ? rst operating year of Wasa- weighted average, this new technology can reduce methane line’s previous ferry, Wasa Express, which burned heavy fuel emissions by 41% compared to the standard Wärtsilä 31DF oil and marine diesel). As of October, its CO2 emissions for engine, the manufacturer said. Wasaline was able to reduce 2023 were down about 22% compared to 2022, mainly due the Aurora Botnia’s methane emissions by 10%. to increased use of LNG. And the company hopes to contin-

In addition, Wärtsilä’s data monitoring and analytics capa- ue these reductions through further actions; Ståhlberg hopes bilities give insights into the vessel’s performance, unlocking Wasaline can be carbon neutral by 2030.

further operational and technical ef? ciencies. “It’s not only In October, Wasaline launched “Green Corridor Fridays”, about collecting data, it’s also about the optimization of the which saw the Aurora Botnia operate with certi? ed biogas one operations,” Widell said. day a week from October 13 through the end of December, “These waters are very shallow, so depending on where in preparation for the EU emissions trading system that will you operate, wind, water depth, trim speed has a clear impact come into force in 2024. With certi? ed biogas, all Friday de- on the power requirement.” Widell said. “If you can manage partures were climate neutral.

those parameters, you can optimize the operation.” The move was taken to gauge interest from cargo com-

The monitoring technology gives crew instant feedback on the panies and hopefully build future support for the endeavor, decisions they make and their impact on emissions, Widell said. as biogas is more expensive than the LNG currently used as

Ståhlberg agreed and said the advanced onboard technology Aurora Botnia’s primary fuel. For now, Wasaline will cover is a big motivator for the ship’s crew, who continually work the extra costs, but it hopes customers will put their support to ? nd ways to improve operations and save energy. He cited behind more sustainable methods of transport. “It’s a little bit a current crew-initiated project to use heat recovery and said chicken and egg. Everybody wants to go to green solutions, captains and crew even compete to use as little fuel as possible but nobody wants to pay for it,” Ståhlberg said. “This cannot during crossings. “When somebody [achieves] a record, there happen if a shipping company has to carry all this cost itself. is cake in the mess room for the whole crew,” Ståhlberg said. It’s impossible. We cannot do it.” “It’s a big event.” Wasaline is also working with Wärtsilä to explore potential “Everybody at Wasaline is working toward [sustainabil- of converting two of the vessel’s generators to run on e-meth- ity],” Ståhlberg said. “Everybody’s committed.” anol, which will soon be locally produced. “I see it as a very

Wasaline has been able to slash its emissions each year good option . . . It’s fully realistic,” Ståhlberg said. “When we since Aurora Botnia entered service in 2021. During the ves- built the ship, the whole design was created so that we can sel’s ? rst full year in operation, the ship primarily ran on ma- upgrade all the time.” www.marinelink.com 33

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