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Wartsila has signed a contract with Construcciones Navales del Norte SL (LaNaval) shipyard in Sestao, Spain to carry out the design and supply of the LNG power and propulsion installation for a new ro-ro passenger ferry being built for Spanish owner Balearia, an operator serving the Balearic Islands. There is also an option for a second vessel.

Wartsila is to also provide inclusive project support services to the yard, including integration engineering and on-site consulting, as well as commissioning of the combined systems. The contract with Wartsila was signed in August.

When it enters regular service in 2019, the new eco-efficient ship is set to be the first gas-propelled ro-ro passenger ferry operating in the Mediterranean Sea, and among the largest ferries in Europe. It will have a length of 232 metres and a capacity for 331 vehicles and 1700 passengers.

By sailing on natural gas, the environmental footprint of the vessel will be greatly reduced. In comparison to standard marine diesel fuel, Wartsila says its LNG solution reduces CO2 emissions by 25 percent, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 85 percent, while sulphur and particulate matter are virtually entirely eliminated.

Wartsila's full scope of supply for this contract includes four 8-cylinder Wartsila 50DF dual-fuel main engines, four 9-cylinder Wartsila 20DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines, the Wartsila LNGPac fuel storage and management system, two twin/single out gearboxes, two Wartsila Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP) with the Wartsila ProTouch bridge control system, two Wartsila transverse thrusters, plus comprehensive engineering, project management, and on-site yard support services. The Wartsila equipment is scheduled to be delivered to the yard in mid-2017.

"Balearia, the owners of this new ferry, appreciate the importance of LNG fuel in providing a cleaner marine environment. Wartsila, with a track record of more than 1500 gas fuelled engines with 16 million running hours, has by far the most experience in dual fuel power and propulsion installations. Furthermore, our capability to assume responsibility for the combined ship systems, plus our strong service support and training facilities were other important considerations," commented Aaron Bresnahan, Vice President, Sales, Wartsila Marine Solutions.

"In our current order book at LaNaval, we have two vessels that will be powered by dual-fuel engines: a multi-purpose cable laying vessel and this Ro-Pax vessel for Balearia. For both ships, LaNaval has selected Wartsila as the supplier of the DF engines, and we have also chosen the company's LNGPac fuel system. We made this decision based on Wartsila's experience in dual-fuel technology," said Javier Angulo, Deputy Managing Director and Sales Director at LaNaval.

"The output power from the Wartsila engines will allow the ship to reach a speed of 24 knots. Their technology will enable us to be highly efficient and competitive with our passenger and goods services," remarked Guillermo Alomar, Balearia's Fleet Director.