New upgrade kit for low-speed engines
Wärtsilä has introduced a new upgrade kit for slow steaming for RTA and RT-flex low-speed engines to enable shipowners and operators to make major savings in fuel costs while slow steaming their ships. The upgrade kit allows Wärtsilä low-speed marine engines to be operated continuously at any power in the range of 20% to 100%. This means that with the Upgrade Kit ships can sail continuously at sea speeds down to some 60 percent full speed. For ships that must comply with the IMO NOX emissions regulations, the restrictions imposed by the emissions limits will be evaluated in each case and a customized turn-key package may be offered.
The upgrade kit is delivered by Wärtsilä on a turn-key basis and includes engine performance analysis, cabling and installation, all materials and their transport, service engineers to undertake the whole installation and commissioning, and emission measurement and certification. The installation and commissioning of the upgrade kit can be completed during normal commercial operation of the ship and during normal port calls.
The first upgrade kits were ordered in November by the German owner Koepping Shipping Company for two container vessels, each with a single 8-cylinder Wärtsilä RTA62U engine. The two ships, "Aglaia" and "Lantau Arrow", are 1200 TEU fast feeder container vessels. They have a maximum speed of about 22 knots at design draft with the main engines delivering 15,000 kW at 107 rpm.
