Wärtsilä 14: lighter, smarter and greener

The new engine in Wärtsilä’s smart marine solutions range is compact, cost-efficient and more sustainable. It also comes with an improved load-taking capacity and safety features.

Compact, fuel-efficient and sustainable are the top three adjectives to describe Wärtsilä 14 engine, the latest addition to the company’s fleet of advanced, high-speed range. Unveiled at the International Workboat Show in New Orleans, the USA, that took place between 28 and 30 November 2018, this new product is designed to excel in its power-to-weight ratio aspects. Meaning, it is designed to fit requirements for limited space and weight in order to maximise space for cargo.

“Having the Wärtsilä 14 engine in our portfolio enables us to offer an even wider solution range which greatly improves the total efficiency,” says Janne Klemola, Product Director, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.

“The market is rapidly changing, and customers demand that we maximise the overall performance of the whole solution, improve safety and advance environmental sustainability.”

And this new engine checks all the above boxes.

The Wärtsilä 14 engine has been developed in collaboration with The Liebherr Group, a Switzerland-based company that specialises in land-based applications for their large engine products.

“Collaboration with Liebherr began to deepen when we started to develop this engine,” says Tomi Kaarniemi, Product Manager at Wärtsilä. “We are very excited at what we’ve accomplished together.”

Petite Powerhouse

Technologically speaking, the Wärtsilä 14 comes in 12- and 16-cylinder configurations, with a power output between 755 and 1340 kWm in mechanical propulsion and 675 – 1155 kWe in an auxiliary generation and diesel-electric propulsion.

The engine is lighter and more compact compared to others in the market. So, it saves space and weight in the ship. It’s load taking capability is much better compared to medium-speed engines, so it has a fast-start and performs better in harsh environments. It is also equipped with the Wärtsilä UNIC automation system modules for monitoring and improved safety.

“There is a huge business potential for such an engine in this power range,” says Klemola. “If you visit a harbour you might see many ships working around the piers that would be perfect for the Wärtsilä 14, such as tugs, fishing boats or smaller sea-going vessels. The engine also fits auxiliary power generation requirements for merchant ships like container carriers or tankers.

The Wärtsilä 14 fits those applications which require small high-speed engines: smaller vessels using cleaner fuels on the lower end of the power range, such as the new Wärtsilä HY Tug 40. The shallow-draft tug includes two Wärtsilä 14 engines and a hybrid propulsion system which delivers flexible operating modes, such as one for zero emissions.

“The Wärtsilä HY Tug 40 is really a fantastic showcase for us,” explains Kaarniemi. “We designed the entire ship and propulsion system.”

Wärtsilä HY Tug 40

Wärtsilä HY Tug 40

A prudent choice

Apart from being technologically advanced, the Wärtsilä 14 engine comes with improved cost-efficiency.

“The industry is moving towards cleaner and lighter fuels. So, the time is right for the high-speed Wärtsilä 14,” Klemola continues. “One major innovation is the Digital Fuel Injection system which is optimised to operate on marine distillate fuel oils. We want to ensure that our product portfolio delivers the best possible value to our customers”

“Another major customer advantage is the investment cost,” says Kaarniemi. “The Wärtsilä 14 is designed to be cost-competitive and thanks to its fuel-efficiency, it helps us to be very competitive through the whole lifetime of the machinery compared to other high-speed engine makers. We’re convinced that customers will be very pleased with the benefits they receive and the low total cost of ownership.”

Compact, fuel-efficient and sustainable are the top three adjectives to describe Wärtsilä 14 engine

  
For future needs

The engine is more than just a high-speed, technologically advanced machine. It is designed for the future, designed to be environmentally sustainable.

The engine follows Wärtsilä’s vision of the green ships of the future and complies with global environmental regulations. The Wärtsilä 14 engines are supplied with Wärtsilä’s innovative system to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. The Wärtsilä NOx reduction (NOR) system is optimised for the Wärtsilä 14 and maximises the overall performance of the engine and exhaust gas cleaning system.

The new engine is an important addition to the company’s smart marine portfolio, broadening Wärtsilä’s offering and providing its customers with a wider range of options.

Also, the services aren’t limited to just providing engines. The company offers many more solutions and hybrid installations, including complete packages from in-house design, manufacturing, project management services and lifecycle support. “We are able to deliver and support engines, propulsion systems, generators, exhaust gas treatment systems, automation and hybrid systems, in other words, the whole machinery,” explains Klemola.

Wärtsilä 14 specs