New generation of LNG-fuelled bulkers under development

The Greek company has signed a letter of intent with China’s Yangzijiang Shipbuilding to build a series of up to 20 bulk carriers to the new design.
Eniram will assist by developing monitoring and optimisation tools. Wärtsilä, also part of the project team together with Finnish ship design firm Deltamarin, classification society ABS and French LNG containment specialist GTT, will develop a propulsion system based on two Wärtsilä 31DF dual-fuel engines without additional gensets.
“Project Forward represents a milestone for the shipping industry,” said Antonis Trakakis, Arista Shipping’s technical manager, “since it brings a substantial discontinuity to traditional ship design and performance. The project establishes LNG as a global marine fuel, and we welcome Eniram’s involvement. They have proven expertise in energy management technology, and this know-how will be of great importance. The aim of the project is to arrive at a fully elaborated decision support tool which will be extremely valuable in enabling us to predict, monitor, optimise, and also demonstrate the actual performance of the vessels.”
Giannis Moraitakis, E&A Business and Sales development manager at Wärtsilä Marine Solutions, commented: “We are delighted to be a part of this exciting project, which will create a vessel with the levels of performance and sustainability needed as the marine industry enters a new era. Our input will help ensure that operational visibility will be maximised, and that the new ships can operate at optimal efficiency.”