Wärtsilä to provide diesel-electric propulsion system for Brazilian Navy polar vessel

An order has been placed by the Estaleiro Jurong Aracruz shipyard for Wärtsilä to supply the main power generation and power conversion systems for a new-build Antarctic Support Vessel for the Brazilian Navy.

The 103.16m Polar Vessel – the Navio Polar Almirante Saldanha (NPo) – will be fitted with three Wärtsilä 32 diesel generating sets, a diesel-electric power conversion system, two bow thruster drive systems, and a power management system. The solution is said to offer low emissions, optimized performance and a high redundancy and availability.

“With the company’s long-standing and extensive experience in marine technology, we trust Wärtsilä to deliver high quality and reliability in all their products and systems,” said Maicon Batista Pinto, project manager, Navio Polar, NPo. “These specialized vessels require superior performance, and we are confident that the Wärtsilä solutions selected will meet this requirement.”

“We are very proud that Jurong has put their trust in Wärtsilä to be the supplier of this extensive solution for the Antarctic Support Vessel,” said Simon Riddle, general manager – naval sales, Wärtsilä. “Thanks to Wärtsilä’s advanced technologies, the overall Wärtsilä solution has been optimized to provide the best possible efficiency for the Brazilian Navy’s operations. This efficiency will also minimize emissions, which is in line with our core strategy of enhancing sustainability wherever possible.”

The vessel will be operated by the Brazilian Navy and will ensure that scientific research continues to be carried out at the Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station. The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery to the shipyard in 2024, ahead of the vessel being commissioned in 2025.