(HELSINKI, Finland) — A new generation Antigoon-class dredger, called Scheldt River, being built by Royal IHC (IHC) in the Netherlands on behalf of the Belgium-based DEME Group, is to be powered by Wartsila dual-fuel (DF) engines. This will be the first dredger to operate on engines capable of utilizing either liquefied natural gas (LNG) or conventional marine fuels. The contract with Wartsila was signed in July.
The 104-meter-long vessel will have a hopper volume capacity of approximately 8,000 cubic meters. The scope of supply includes one 12-cylinder and one nine-cylinder Wartsila 34DF engines, two Wartsila controllable pitch propellers and two transverse thrusters, as well as the company’s patented LNGPac gas supply and storage system.
“Wartsila’s unmatched experience and extensive reference list in dual-fuel engine applications, plus our complete solutions portfolio, were key considerations in the award of this contract. We congratulate the shipyard and owners for taking the decision to have this new dredger become the first to be capable of using LNG or diesel fuel,” said Lars Anderson, vice president, engine sales, Wartsila Marine Solutions.
“Environmental considerations are extremely important for every new vessel built today. Operating on LNG allows DEME to set new standards in minimizing harmful emissions. Scheldt River will easily comply with all local and international environmental regulations. Wartsila’s dual-fuel know-how and in particular the 34DF engine series made our concept feasible,” said Jan Gabriel, head of the New Building and Conversion Department at DEME.
This is the second notable order received by Wartsila in recent weeks for dredger-related propulsion solutions. In June, the company was contracted to supply a comprehensive intergrated solutions package for one of the world’s largest and most advanced self-propelled cutter dredgers currently under construction in China.
