Wärtsilä will supply the propulsion package for Danish operator Molslinjen’s new 115-m long high-speed ferry. The vessel is currently under build at Australian shipbuilder Austal’s yard in the Philippines and features four W31 four-stroke engines and four WXJ1500SRI waterjets
Wärtsilä received the order in May, and the equipment will be delivered to the yard from July 2021. The ferry is scheduled for delivery in Q1 2022. The ferry can carry 1,610 passengers at an operating service speed of close to 37 knots and is scheduled to operate on the Molslinjen Bornholm route between Ystad and Rønne in Denmark.
Wärtsila Marine Power Solutions’ Stefan Nysjó said “This combination of the Wärtsilä 31 engine and WXJ waterjets is unique for fast ferries, delivering exceptional fuel efficiency, reliability, quality and performance. This is an exciting project, and we are honoured to have been selected to provide the level of propulsion demanded.”
The WXJ waterjet series was introduced in 2019 and Wärtsilä said this will mark the first time the WXJ waterjets and the W31 engine have been used in combination for a fast ferry. The company will also supply a ProTouch bridge control system.
Austal Philippines president Wayne Murray said “It will be, by volume, the largest ferry ever built in our shipyards, and it will offer a powerful, yet economical and environmentally friendly solution.”
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