Finland’s Wärtsilä Ship Design has developed a new double hull, single screw crude oil tanker featuring a CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) optimised hull to provide less resistance with higher propulsion efficiency. The 253m by 44m tanker’s propulsion system would be based on the two-stroke Wärtsilä X62 main engine, an electronically controlled common-rail diesel that has an extra long stroke and low rpm and is available in four- to eight-cylinder versions.
Compared to currently available main engine options, the X62 engine can achieve fuel savings of about seven per cent based on the specific vessel design. The engine also has a minimised physical width to allow a slimmer aft body, which further benefits propulsion efficiency. For emissions compliance, an integrated Wärtsilä exhaust gas scrubber would be incorporated in the oversized stack. A Wärtsilä SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) system would be placed before the main engine turbocharger to reduce NOx emissions.
