Wärtsilä’s hybrid power module solution, the Wärtsilä HY, is now operating on the ‘Vilja’, an escort tug owned by the Swedish port of Luleå. The tug was constructed at Gondan Shipbuilders in Asturias, Spain and was delivered in the end of June 2019, after successfully conducting commissioning and sea trials.
Wärtsilä HY features operating characteristics that include ‘green mode’, with zero emissions and no noise, a ‘power boost’ that delivers a high bollard pull, and ‘smokeless operation’ where no smoke is produced even during start-up of the main engines.
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The Energy Management System (EMS) has been tuned according to actual data gathered during one year of field operations. Additionally, it is designed to address drastically changing operating conditions. In Luleå, the ship will change between normal summer time operations, and working in one metre thick ice during the winter months.
The ‘Vilja’ represents the most technologically advanced tug currently in operation. The selection of the Wärtsilä hybrid power module will ensure a drastic reduction in emissions, setting new, higher, standards for our service, and for the quality of life in the Luleå region
according to Henrik Vuorinen, CEO, Luleå Hamn AB.
The Wärtsilä HY for Tug solution also leads to important benefits regarding environmental performance, and a reduction in fuel and maintenance costs. During trials, the icebreaking tug achieved a 100-tonne bollard pull, while at the same time, producing around 20% less emissions in comparison to a conventional vessel.
