Since the first conversion in October 2022, technology group Wärtsilä has reported fuel savings of over 14,000 metric tonnes and CO2 emission reductions of over 45,000 metric tonnes – equivalent to the annual emissions of 17,000 cars – across ten vessels retrofitted with Wärtsilä’s unique Fit4Power solution.

With decarbonisation high on the maritime agenda, retrofit technologies, such as Wärtsilä’s Fit4Power solution, have the potential to enable compliance with the rising tide of regulatory requirements. For many ship operators and owners today, the aim is to find flexible solutions that can assure the long-term fitness of fleets in terms of both economic performance and environmental compliance.

“Balancing these often conflicting demands is no easy task. Individual operators are seeking the best way forward, while at the industry level, supply chains are being decarbonised as a means to enable sustainable global trade. In other words, the transformation is happening at all levels and at the same time,” comments Andreas Wiesmann, General Manager, Global Sales, 2-stroke Engine Services – Wärtsilä Marine.

To add to the mounting challenges, operators are having to track against tighter emissions standards such as Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) and Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI). They also need to cope with disruption caused by geopolitical events and increasingly unpredictable weather conditions. Both of which are having a direct impact on fuel consumption and increase emission levels.

A world-first radical derating solution for two-stroke engines

To mitigate these challenges and to extend the emissions-compliant lifetime of merchant vessels, Wärtsilä launched its Fit4Power solution to the commercial market in Spring 2023. The solution provides the existing two-stroke fleet with leaner, healthier and more optimised engines.

This advanced retrofit solution enables ship owners to reduce the bore size of two-stroke engines by 25 percent, enabling the engine to run at optimal loads and with outstanding fuel and combustion efficiency. This fuel efficiency in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions. For owners, this will improve the efficiency of their existing fleet, ensuring compliance with CII regulations, and futureproofing assets against future environmental measures.

Analysis from Wärtsilä shows that without modification, more than 80 percent of the global merchant fleet could fall into the lowest CII rating by 2030, requiring mandatory corrective action and risking losing business to more efficient vessels. The Wärtsilä solution is also a step towards the economical use of alternative fuels to meet future emission reduction targets.

A significant impact

On a per ship basis, the annual potential savings of a vessel retrofitted with Fit4Power are estimated to be 2,000 tonnes of fuel, depending on the vessel’s operating profile, and 6,400 tonnes of CO2 emissions. In monetary terms, operating costs for a ship owner or operator could be lowered by as much as 2.18 million* euros in operational expenses annually.

Wiesmann continues, “Our Fit4Power solution is a key element in Wärtsilä’s committed strategy to support decarbonised shipping. It is a world-first development that provides an exciting means for us to showcase our capabilities in giving marine engines a new lease of life. Improving engine efficiency and optimisation with solutions such as Fit4Power is one of the simplest and most cost-effective means of reducing emissions.”

There are currently 30+ vessels in the scope of delivery for retrofitting with Fit4Power. Ten of these vessels are already converted and have been in operation for up to 20 months.

*The calculation of this figure is based on (voyage profile may vary):

• fuel cost of €700/ton
• Carbon levy of €100/ton
• Parts savings €0.14M/year