The technology group Wärtsilä will provide the propulsion solutions for a new 115 metres long high-speed ferry. The vessel is being built by Austal at the Australian shipbuilder’s yard in the Philippines for Danish operator Molslinjen. It will feature four Wärtsilä 31 engines, recognised by Guinness World Records as being the world’s most efficient 4-stroke diesel engine, and four high-performance Wärtsilä WXJ1500SRI waterjets. Wärtsilä will also supply its state-of-the-art ProTouch bridge controls system. The order with Wärtsilä was placed in May this year.“This combination of the Wärtsilä 31 engine and WXJ waterjets is unique for fast ferries, delivering exceptional fuel efficiency, reliability, quality and performance. This is an exciting project, and we are honoured to have been selected to provide the level of propulsion demanded,” says Stefan Nysjö, Marine Power Solutions, Wärtsilä Marine.

This large ferry will be capable of carrying 1610 passengers, and will have space for 450 cars or 617 lane metres for trucks plus 257 cars. It will have an operating service speed of close to 37 knots.

“The size of the vessel, together with the speed and propulsion efficiency makes this a very special project. It will be, by volume, the largest ferry ever built in our shipyards, and it will offer a powerful, yet economical and environmentally-friendly solution,” says Wayne Murray, President Austal Philippines.

“We have Wärtsilä waterjets on several of our fast ferries, so we are familiar with the quality and performance they deliver. We are also familiar with the Wärtsilä 31 engine, which is really in a class of its own in regards to efficiency,” says Flemming Kristensen, Technical Director, Molslinjen.

The Wärtsilä WXJ waterjet series was introduced in 2019 as the successor to the company’s successful LJX series.  This is the first time the WXJ waterjets and the Wärtsilä 31 engine have been used in combination for a fast ferry, offering an unprecedented level of performance, reliability and quality.

The Wärtsilä equipment will be delivered to the yard commencing in July 2021, and the ferry is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2022. It will operate on the Molslinjen Bornholm route between Ystad and Rønne in Denmark.