Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has been selected to supply a Maersk Supply Service anchor handling tug with a hybrid battery system.
The conversion, a first for Maersk Supply Service, will support the Maersk Group’s goal of halving the carbon intensity of its fleet by the end of this decade. The order to Wärtsilä was placed in May 2021.
The hybrid power conversion will be carried out on the “Maersk Minder”, a deepwater anchor handling tug supply vessel (AHTS), during the first part of 2022. The conversion is believed to be the world’s first AHTS hybrid battery conversion, with the aim of reducing fuel consumption and associated carbon emissions by 15%.
“Maersk Supply Service is taking an active role in the decarbonization of 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 HY module from Wärtsilä we are taking an important step on our path to further reduce emissions from our diesel-electric vessels,” said Mark Handin, chief operating officer of Maersk Supply Service.
The main components of the system will be the hybrid thruster, the energy storage system (ESS) and the transformer. The energy management system (EMS) is responsible for the control and monitoring of the hybrid system. According to Wärtsilä, the system manages to reduce consumption peaks, create an energy reserve and improve efficiency significantly by running the engines at optimum load and using the batteries to absorb a large part of the load fluctuations.
Wärtsilä also supplied the entire engine room scope for this vessel, including the engines, thrusters, propeller arrangement, seals and bearings, as well as integrated automation and planned maintenance systems.
“We share Maersk Supply Service’s decarbonization ambitions, and we are fully committed to developing the products, systems and integrated solutions needed to achieve these ambitions. Wärtsilä’s HY Module is an excellent example of this commitment. Its innovative design and extended battery life offer real advantages and will be a great fit for anchor tug supply vessels, as they already are for other types of vessels,” said Kenneth Bang, Service Account Manager, Sales, Wärtsilä Marine Power.
