Wärtsilä and Chinese Ship Builder Partner to Develop Hybrid Dredge

The technology group Wärtsilä has signed a strategic development agreement with Chinese state-owned shipbuilder CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company Limited Huangpu Wenchong. The five-year agreement is aimed at the joint development of a hybrid powered dredge but could possibly extend to other hybrid vessels as well. The agreement was signed on December 3 at the Marintec conference and exhibition in Shanghai.

The purpose of the agreement is to build a cooperation framework and working mechanism for the research and development of hybrid power systems. Wärtsilä will support Huangpu Wenchong during the design and construction phases with technology innovations, system selection, performance calculations and long-term services.

The initial work will be based on a hopper dredge, a vessel that the shipyard already builds. Evaluations will be carried out to determine the most suitable hybrid solution for that class of dredges.