The technology group Wärtsilä will supply its Wärtsilä HY Module, a containerized hybrid battery power and energy storage system to Maersk Supply Service, the Denmark based provider of offshore marine services and integrated solutions for the global energy sector. The Wärtsilä system will support Maersk’s goal of reducing the carbon intensity of its fleet by 50 percent before the end of this decade. The order with Wärtsilä was placed in May 2021.
The hybrid power conversion will be carried out on the ‘Maersk Minder’, a deepwater anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel during the early part of 2022. This is believed to be the world’s first AHTS hybrid battery conversion. The expectation is that the Wärtsilä HY system will decrease fuel consumption, and therefore also carbon emissions, by 15 percent. The conversion will also reduce the vessel’s maintenance requirements while increasing operational performance.
“Maersk Supply Service is taking an active role in decarbonizing the offshore support vessel sector. This requires both behavioral changes in the way we operate our vessels, as well as technological upgrades to our fleet. With this Wärtsilä HY Module we are taking a significant step on our path to further reduce the emissions from our diesel-electric vessels,” says Mark Handin, COO, Maersk Supply Service.
“We share Maersk Supply Service’s decarbonization ambitions and are fully committed to developing the products, systems, and integrated solutions needed to achieve these ambitions. The Wärtsilä HY Module is a prime example of this commitment. Its innovative design and extended battery life offers real benefits and will be a great fit for anchor handling tug supply vessels, as it already is for other vessel types,” says Kenneth Bang, Service Account Manager, Sales, Wärtsilä Marine Power.
The main system components are the hybrid drive, the energy storage system (ESS), and the transformer. Control and monitoring of the hybrid system is handled by the energy management system (EMS). Together, the system achieves peak shaving, spinning reserve, and significant efficiency improvement by running the engines at optimal load and using the batteries to absorb a large proportion of the load fluctuations.
Wärtsilä has also supplied the full engine room scope for this vessel, including the engines, thrusters, propeller arrangement, seals and bearings, as well as the integrated automation and planned maintenance systems.
Modern smart marine electric and power systems, such as Wärtsilä HY are supporting decarbonization through the increasing use of electrical solutions, renewable energy and the evolution of propulsion design to create greater flexibility and efficiency. The result is that decarbonization can be not only environmentally desirable, but also commercially attractive to ship owners and operators.
Related information: Wärtsilä Electrical & Power Systems
Images courtesy of Wärtsilä