Wärtsilä is to upgrade the Wärtsilä RT-flex main engines on two bulk carriers owned by Turkey-based Ulusoy Sealines. The planned engine retrofits and upgrades aim to extend the vessels’ operational life and improve both performance and fuel efficiency, significantly reducing emissions.
Current regulatory requirements – such as those on the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) – are requiring the majority of the merchant fleet to become more energy efficient. The aim of the Ulusoy upgrade is to align the engines’ performance with the latest operational profile of the two vessels, both of which have undergone substantial changes since their initial delivery in 2011.
The engines will be upgraded through the integration of Wärtsilä Part Load Optimization (WPLO), Intelligence Combustion Control (ICC), and Fuel Actuated Sackless Technology (FAST) — which reduces the the amount of unburnt fuel in the injector sac and reduces fuel consumption. These upgrades are anticipated to deliver a CII improvement of 5% , equating to a 2-year extension of the CII rating. Additionally, annual fuel savings of nearly 250 tons are estimated, resulting in potential cost savings of more than $150,000 per year, and a reduction in CO2 emissions of approximately 780 tons per year per vessel.
“We continuously strive to operate our fleet in the most environmentally friendly and efficient manner possible. These engine upgrades are, therefore, very important to us and we are excited to be able to provide added value to our customers by combining existing assets with these state-of-the-art engine retrofits,” said Ulusoy Sealines DPA-OPR manager, Capt. A. Akin Ozcorekci of Ulusoy Sealines.
Wärtsilä has closely cooperated with Ulusoy for several years and this project is a continuation of the two companies’ joint efforts to maintain environmental and operational efficiency and comply with all relevant regulations.
“These engine upgrades will involve the integration of various solutions, both long-standing and newly developed, which are meticulously fine-tuned to achieve the highest operational improvements and maximum savings tailored to the vessel’s specific operational profile,” says Peter Knaapen, director, two-stroke & other OEM services at Wärtsilä Marine.
The delivery of the required parts and equipment for the two vessels – Ulusoy 11 and Ulusoy 12 – is scheduled to take place during the first half of 2025.
