Wrtsil to Supply Main Engines for 25 New Russian Tankers

Wärtsilä, the marine industry's leading systems integrator, has been awarded the contract to supply the main engines for a series of 25 tankers being built for Volga Shipping Co., Russia's oldest shipping company. Fifteen of the ships are to be constructed at the Okskaya yard in Navashino for ship owner Volga Flot Tanker, and the other ten at the Krasnoe Sormovo yard in Nizhny Novgorod, five for Bash Volga Tanker and five for Volgotrans. All these three ship owners are part of Volga Shipping Co.

The scope of the supply includes two 6-cylinder Wärtsilä 20 main engines to be supplied for each vessel. Delivery of the machinery will commence in the autumn 2011, and should be completed by mid 2013. The first vessel is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2012.

"We have previously supplied Volga Shipping with Wärtsilä engines, and have established a constructive relationship with the company over the years. When these tankers were being planned, and the need arose for reliable and economical shipsets, Wärtsilä engines were the obvious choice. We are very pleased and proud to announce that this is the single largest order for Wärtsilä 20 marine engines that Wärtsilä has been awarded in Russia," says Johan Hansten, Director Business Sales, Wärtsilä Ship Power.

The 6-cylinder in-line Wärtsilä 20 is part of the Wärtsilä 20 series, and is a four-stroke diesel engine that can be run on either marine diesel oil (MDO) or heavy fuel oil (HFO). It can be switched from MDO to HFO and vice versa without power interruption at any engine operation load.

This engine has proven its robustness and reliability over the years, with more than 4000 Wärtsilä 20 engines having been delivered since being introduced to the market in the early 1990s. The Wärtsilä 20 covers the lower power range in the Wärtsilä diesel engine family.

This tanker type has a length of 140 m, a 4.2 m draught, and a deadweight of 6979 tons. It can carry crude oil and petroleum products, including gasoline, without restrictions for flash-point, and is allowed to transport two types of cargo simultaneously. When launched, all 25 of these tankers will operate on Russia's inland waterways during the summer months, and on the Black and Mediterranean Seas in winter.