Fuel reduction key element in vessel design

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

28 Dec 2007

A leading ship operator in the car carrier and roll-on roll-off market says fuel economy and pollution reduction has been the focus of the design of its next generation of vessels. "Particular attention has been paid to hull lines development in order to reduce fuel oil consumption and exhaust gas emissions," said a statement from Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA (WW) and Wallenius Lines (OW). "The exhaust gas energy will also be recovered to generate the entire electrical need at sea.  In addition an advanced ballast treatment system will be installed to reduce harmful transfer of micro-organisms between different ecosystems." Wilh. Wilhelmsen is a leading global maritime industrial group and Wallenius Lines, the car carrier and ro-ro specialist, is one of its subsidiaries. In an announcement in late December they said they had agreed with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in Japan to build four vessels.It said they would be the world's largest roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) carriers and would be built for delivery in 2011 and 2012.The new ro-ro carriers will have a cargo volume of 138,000 cubic metres, close to 10% more than the WW/OW partnership's most recent ro-ro carriers."This order will add further capacity to satisfy our customers need and secure our position in emerging markets," said Lone Fonss Schroeder, president Wallenius Lines. "In order to ensure new and modern tonnage, WW and OW are pursuing an extensive newbuilding programme.  This currently comprises some 43 vessels to be delivered up to 2012."Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL), a business unit owned by WW and OW, has helped pioneer the use of low-sulphur bunker fuels as a company policy.