The technology group Wärtsilä will supply the propulsion machinery for four new fishing vessels being built at Karstensens Shipyard in Denmark. These orders emphasise Wärtsilä’s leading position in delivering propulsion solutions for the fishing sector, and strengthen even further the company’s close relationship with the Karstensens yard. The orders were placed in March 2022.

The 75 metre-long purser/trawler vessels are being built for different owners. Two are for Icelandic fishing and processing companies, namely Skinney-Thinganes and Gjögur, while the other two are for Norwegian owners, Veibust Fiskeriselskap and Ronald Ervik.

Each of these vessels will operate with the highly efficient Wärtsilä 31 main engine. Wärtsilä will also supply the gearbox fitted with ‘take-me-home’ functionality, the controllable pitch propeller (CPP), the propulsion shaft linesincluding seals and bearings, the shaft generator, and Wärtsilä’s ProTouch propulsion control system.

The Wärtsilä 31 has been recognised by Guinness World Records as being the world’s most efficient 4-stroke diesel engine. Its output power has been increased to 5200 kW, thus enhancing its performance even further.

“We are very familiar with Wärtsilä’s propulsion offering and have opted for their products on many of our newbuild projects. In particular, the Wärtsilä 31’s efficiency and reliability is ideally suited for fishing vessels operating in these challenging North Atlantic waters,” says Kent Damgaard, Director, Karstensens Shipyard.

“Wärtsilä has a long-standing relationship with Karstensens Shipyard and we are proud and pleased to be again selected as the propulsion provider for this series of modern purser/trawlers. Repeat orders are always a good indicator of customer satisfaction, and are a validation of our focus on efficiency, reliability, and environmental sustainability,” adds Jens Karlsson, GM Sales, Large Projects, Wärtsilä Marine Power.

The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery to the yard during 2023, and the vessels are expected to be ready for delivery in 2024.