Wärtsilä’s newest engine, Wärtsilä 25, will be able to run on many different fuels – including ammonia. The development of the engine has been possible with a lot of know-how from the Vaasa region.
The technology group Wärtsilä has introduced its new Wärtsilä 25 medium-speed 4-stroke engine. Based on Wärtsilä’s highly successful modular technology platform, this latest addition to the company’s engine portfolio is designed to accelerate and support the maritime sector’s efforts in achieving decarbonised operations.
Wärtsilä’s global product development for engines is concentrated in Vaasa, Finland.
“A lot of know-how from Vaasa lies behind the new engine, but colleagues from other parts of the world have of course contributed to the development,” says Atte Palomäki, Executive Vice President, Communications, Branding & Marketing at Wärtsilä.
The Wärtsilä 25 engine’s modularity offers shipowners and operators maximised flexibility, while the engine’s efficiency and fuel economy deliver minimised emissions. The engine is already capable of operating on diesel, LNG, or on either gas or liquid carbon-neutral biofuels, and can easily be upgraded to operate with future carbon-free fuels as they become available.
The Wärtsilä 25 is intended to be the first Wärtsilä engine to run on ammonia as a fuel. Development of the technology is currently underway with a technology concept readiness slated for 2023 and a planned product release soon thereafter.
Roger Holm, President of Marine Power & Executive Vice President of Wärtsilä Corporation, comments:
This engine marks the beginning of a new era of future-proof medium-speed, small-bore engines, and comes as an important step toward the maritime industry meeting its decarbonisation goals. The Wärtsilä 25 ticks all the boxes. It is a small but powerful engine, and it provides an effortless transition to future fuels, making it a future-proof investment already today. Most importantly, the Wärtsilä 25 brings all of these advantages whilst keeping the total cost of ownership within reason.
