Chinese WTIVs to have Wärtsilä thrusters
Illustration of the 3,000-tonne heavy-lift vessel which is equipped with the Wärtsilä thrusters WST32 and WTT28 (Source: Maric)
Two new jack-up wind turbine installation vessels (WTIVs) under construction for China Three Gorges Corporation are to have steerable propulsion and transverse tunnel thrusters from Wärtsilä.
The orders were placed by CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Co and China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) Co. The shipyards are building two WTIVs, one with a lifting capacity of 2,000 tonnes and a larger 3,000-tonne capacity unit, respectively.
The thrusters are intended to maximise operational uptime in challenging sea and weather conditions, whilst also saving weight. Each vessel will have WST-32FP main propulsion thrusters and appropriate transverse thruster sizes. They will provide high redundancy, fuel efficiency, and proven reliability, Wärtsilä said.
Wang Peng, project manager at the state-owned power company, said: “Wind power is becoming increasingly important for China, and we are building these two ships on a fast-track schedule to support this programme. We appreciate Wärtsilä’s ability to deliver the thrusters in line with our timetable.”
Wärtsilä Marine Power’s Lauri Tiainen, product director Thrusters & Propulsion, commented: “As with all Wärtsilä products ... our products are designed to ensure optimal efficiency, high hydrodynamic performance, less maintenance, and better accessibility for servicing. They reach and exceed the performance levels required in today’s competitive operating environment.”
