Wrtsil Boosts Efficiency in Tanker and Chemical Shipping

Imagine massive steel vessels carrying crude oil, liquefied natural gas, highly corrosive chemicals, or containers that form the backbone of global trade—all navigating through turbulent seas to connect energy networks, industrial supply chains, and consumer markets worldwide. These colossal transport vehicles—tankers, chemical carriers, gas carriers, and container ships—require exceptional expertise, reliability, and innovation in their design and construction. Wärtsilä stands as a leader in this field, with deep expertise, continuous innovation, and a vision for the future.

With over 180 years of history, Wärtsilä has grown from a small Finnish machine shop into a global leader in power and propulsion solutions. Throughout its evolution, the company has maintained a commitment to innovation, excellence, and sustainability, consistently overcoming technical barriers to provide the most advanced, reliable, and environmentally friendly solutions for the global shipping industry.

Wärtsilä's footprint spans the globe, serving shipowners, operators, and shipyards across all vessel types—from oceangoing giants to inland barges, from naval vessels to luxury cruise ships. The company offers comprehensive products and services covering every aspect of marine power systems, including main and auxiliary engines, propulsion systems, automation, fuel supply, and environmental solutions.

Tankers, designed for bulk liquid cargo transportation, play a crucial role in global energy trade—carrying everything from crude oil to refined products, chemicals, and liquefied gases. Their specialized nature demands strict safety standards and operational protocols.

These vessels transport unrefined crude oil, typically featuring large tonnage and long-haul routes connecting oil-producing nations with refineries. Wärtsilä provides powerful propulsion systems, efficient solutions, and advanced automation to ensure safe and efficient operations. The company's engines deliver outstanding fuel efficiency and reliability, while optimized propulsion systems maximize performance and reduce energy consumption.

These ships carry refined petroleum products like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. They are further categorized as:

• Clean Product Tankers: Transport light petroleum products requiring high cargo tank cleanliness. Wärtsilä provides specialized cargo handling and cleaning solutions to maintain product integrity.
• Dirty Product Tankers: Carry heavy petroleum products that often require heating systems to maintain fluidity. Wärtsilä offers reliable heating solutions and corrosion-resistant materials.

Specialized vessels transporting cargoes like sulfur, asphalt, and heavy petroleum products that must remain liquid at high temperatures. These ships demand advanced heating, insulation, and specialized valve/pump systems. Wärtsilä provides tailored heating and insulation solutions along with robust cargo handling systems.

Chemical carriers are specifically designed to transport various hazardous liquid chemicals. Compared to tankers, they handle more diverse and complex cargoes, requiring higher standards in construction and operation.

Built to carry single chemical types with designs optimized for specific cargo properties. Wärtsilä delivers customized solutions based on cargo characteristics.

Capable of transporting multiple chemical types simultaneously, featuring numerous cargo tanks and complex piping systems. These are further divided into:

• Stainless Steel Chemical Tankers: Constructed with corrosion-resistant stainless steel tanks for highly corrosive chemicals.
• Coated Steel Chemical Tankers: Utilize specially coated tanks for certain chemicals, with coatings carefully selected based on cargo properties.

Specialized vessels transporting liquefied gases including LPG, LNG, ethylene, and ammonia at extremely low temperatures. LNG carriers, for example, must maintain cargo at -164°C, requiring advanced insulation and containment system designs. Wärtsilä provides reliable cryogenic power systems, cargo handling solutions, and safety systems to ensure secure transportation.

As vital links in international commerce, container ships carry diverse goods across global routes. With growing trade volumes, these vessels continue increasing in size and capacity. Wärtsilä delivers powerful propulsion systems, efficient solutions, and intelligent automation to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs.

As environmental concerns grow, Wärtsilä actively develops and promotes technologies to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency, including:

• Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems: Effectively remove sulfur oxides and particulate matter from ship emissions.
• LNG Engines: Utilize cleaner liquefied natural gas to significantly reduce CO2 emissions.
• Hybrid Power Systems: Combine conventional engines with batteries or fuel cells for improved efficiency.
• Digital Solutions: Enable real-time monitoring and analysis to optimize operations and energy use.

Through continuous innovation and partnership, Wärtsilä remains committed to advancing smarter, more efficient, and sustainable shipping solutions for the future.