
Ferries have a huge role to play in meeting the growing demand for environmentally sustainable transport options, but their dramatically different vessel sizes, configurations and profiles require very different approaches to decarbonisation. These range from switching to alternative, low-emission fuels with the help of multi-fuel engine technology to implementing a shore power connection or carefully integrated efficiency technologies onboard.
Wärtsilä’s range of marine engines fits well across all ferry types and features many of the market’s most efficient engines, including the Wärtsilä 31DF, 46TS-DF and 14. All Wärtsilä engines are designed to offer low lifecycle cost, simple maintenance, hybrid readiness and easy upgradability to alternative fuels. Wärtsilä also offers medium-size, modular waterjets for a variety of vessels including high-speed ferries, with a portfolio covering units from 500 kW at the low end of the scale up to units with around 10 MW for large RoPax fast ferries.
Wärtsilä offers conversion packages for LNG, methanol and ammonia, includingLNGPac™, a complete fuel gas supply system that includes a bunkering station, tank and related process equipment as well as control and safety systems. Wärtsilä’s comprehensive, proven range of Energy Saving Technologies provide a way for operators to retrofit their existing fleet to comply with upcoming requirements in the short term, while making more expensive future fuels a viable option through reduced consumption over the longer term.
Wärtsilä Lifecycle Service Agreements combine our extensive knowledge and experience with the power of AI and predictive analytics to provide peace of mind. We take the uncertainty out of ferry performance with improved asset availability, optimised operations and maintenance, and sustainable and predictable operations. Agreement scopes can be tailored to cover everything from engines and the power train to fuel supply systems and emissions abatement technologies.
This white paper takes a deep dive into the challenges facing this hugely diverse industry as it plots a path towards zero-carbon operations. It provides an overview of the current state of play in the industry, a comprehensive review of its geographical nuances and an in-depth look at individual vessel types.
Practical insights and guidance for the ferry industry
New Baltic Sea ferry will be powered by environmentally sustainable Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines
The world’s fastest LNG fuelled Ro-Pax ferries
The world’s first LNG passenger vessel – powered by Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä supplied four exhaust gas cleaning systems to retrofit the Ro-pax ferry