Wärtsilä’s 31DF dual-fuel engines have been chosen to power a new Polar Ice Class luxury cruise vessel.
This vessel is being built for the French-based operator Ponant at Vard Søviknes, part of VARD shipbuilding group in Norway.
This order was placed with Wärtsilä in the second quarter of 2018.
Because the 150 m long ship will operate in environmentally sensitive Arctic and Antarctic waters, it will operate primarily on LNG. Wärtsilä’s advanced technologies and experience in LNG solutions were cited as key reasons for the selection of the 31DF engines and other Wärtsilä solutions.
In addition to four 14-cylinder and two 10-cylinder Wärtsilä 31DF engines, Wärtsilä will also be responsible for the fuel gas supply system, chosen because of the company’s experience and references in gas containment and gas fuel systems.
Also included is Wärtsilä’s Nacos Platinum navigation equipment, which can later be integrated with subsidiary Eniram’s pro-active energy management system to deliver predictive insights and mobile alerts.
“We have ordered the building of a clean ship featuring technologies that go beyond current industry-standard environmental regulations. This is why we have chosen a propulsion format with Wärtsilä’s highly efficient 31DF engine running on LNG,” explained Charles Gravatte, Ponant General Secretary.
“Wärtsilä’s cutting-edge technologies are making a huge contribution to creating cleaner, more efficient, and more environmentally sustainable shipping. This valuable contract is a clear example of this. We are delighted to be supporting Ponant in enabling this cruise ship to meet the highest standards of sustainability,” added Glenn Mattas, Regional Sales Director, South Europe & Africa, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.
Wärtsilä’s equipment is scheduled to be delivered to the shipyard in 2020, a year before the vessel’s delivery. She will be the 12th ship in Ponant’s fleet of cruise vessels of which, the previous 11 ships are powered by Wärtsilä engines.
