Decarbonising shipping cannot wait for fleet renewal. Analysis by Wärtsilä shows that without efficiency upgrades, most merchant vessels operating today will fall out of regulatory compliance by 2030. Future fuels offer the biggest efficiency gains, but the cost and complexity of retrofitting ships have been a barrier to uptake.
The Wärtsilä Two-Stroke Future Fuels Conversion Platform offers ship owners a viable, flexible way to a decarbonised future, retrofitting for low-carbon LNG and transitioning later to net-zero carbon green methanol or ammonia. The solution significantly extends the compliant lifetime of existing vessels and safeguards shipowners’ technology investments against future uncertainty.
Our patented technology features a pioneering cryogenic fuel supply system and flexible combustion process that is efficient, easy to install, and upgradeable. Features include:
Based on current fuel prices, converting two-stroke engines to future fuels brings substantial economic benefits. For typical larger vessels (for example a 10,000–13,000 TEU container ship) consuming 30,000 tons of liquid fuel per year with a 10-year remaining lifetime, the conversion is a sound investment. With less than four years’ payback time the conversion enables CO2 reduction of 21,000 tons annually.
Choosing a fleet decarbonisation strategy depends on several factors including vessel characteristics, operating profile, area of operation and fuel availability. Wärtsilä’s unparalleled expertise across technologies and wide project experience means we can help ship operators understand the business case behind decarbonisation choices – and support implementation every step of the way, from planning to in-field service.
Fuel flexibility means technology investments made today will not become obsolete. The benefits, both economic and environmental, are massive.
Roger Holm, President Marine Power & EVP Wärtsilä Corporation
Wärtsilä’s new Two-Stroke Future Fuels Conversion Platform deploys innovative fuel injection technology to significantly reduce integration complexity, capital cost and onboard footprint – bringing the environmental advantages of LNG and future fuels within reach of an even wider range of today’s vessels.
