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The 100th Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel engine is to be delivered this month, just four-and-a-half years after the first one was shipped from the factory.

This milestone delivery is part of a shipment of three 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 20DF engines for a Ropax ferry under construction at the Remontowa shipyard in Poland for Canadian operator, BC Ferries. It is the second in a series of three ferries being built for the same customer.

In a statement, Stefan Wiik, Vice President, Engines, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions, said: "Once again, the advantages of Wärtsilä’s dual-fuel technology, and the fuel flexibility and environmental benefits delivered by this technology, have been emphasised with this milestone 100th delivery. The Wärtsilä 20DF shows that these benefits are as important for auxiliary applications, such as generating sets, as they are for main engine applications."

The Wärtsilä 20DF engine is a development from the Wärtsilä 20 diesel engine that was introduced in the early 1990s. The DF version is a compact unit that extends the dual-fuel technology benefits to cover the entire power range. The Wärtsilä dual-fuel engine capability enables ships to be operated on either conventional liquid marine fuels (LFO, HFO or liquid bio fuel) or LNG. According to Wärtsilä, the switch between fuels can be made seamlessly without loss of power or speed. Such fuel flexibility enables compliance with emission regulations in controlled areas, while giving operators the option of determining the fuel according to cost and availability.

When operating in gas mode, the Wärtsilä 20DF engine is already compliant with IMO Tier III regulations without any secondary exhaust gas purification systems. Also, when fuelled by gas, the SOx and CO2 emissions are notably reduced and smokeless operation is attained.

The 100th Wärtsilä 20DF engine is to undergo its Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) within the coming weeks with representatives from BC Ferries in attendance.

"We congratulate Wärtsilä on this milestone delivery. We take our responsibilities for environmental compliance very seriously, which is why these additions to our ferry fleet will operate primarily on liquefied natural gas. The Wärtsilä dual-fuel technology is highly advanced and well proven, and we are confident that the Wärtsilä 20DF engines are the right choice for this application," said Mark Wilson, Vice President, Engineering, British Columbia Ferry Services Inc.