Full-scale trials verify significant cost savin...

Wärtsilä Corporation, Trade & Technical Press release, 22 July 2010


Wärtsilä's Energopac is an integrated propeller and rudder design that
effectively reduces flow separation behind the propeller hub, thereby reducing
frictional drag while preserving course-keeping capabilities.

In recent trials carried out in co-operation with the Spliethoff Group, a
company that manages more than 55 multi-purpose cargo vessels, it was shown that
the Wärtsilä Energopac solution delivers significant reductions in fuel costs.
The trials involved eight 17,700 dwt vessels, six of which were fitted with
standard rudders and two with Energopac. The trials have shown that the
Energopac solution saves close to 4 per cent power in design condition. This
represents annual fuel cost savings of more than USD 120,000 (at fuel prices in
July 2010).

"After 6 months of operation, it has been shown that the reality confirms the
theory," says Frank Louwers, director at Spliethoff. "This facilitated our
decision to install the Energopac propulsion solution on the next series of
another 5 vessels."

Custom designed for optimal savings

Launched in 2008, Wärtsilä's Energopac is an easy-to-install rudder/propeller
combination that features a rudder bulb located behind the propeller hub. The
bulb is mounted on a custom-designed full-spade flap rudder. As each Energopac
installation is designed to fit a specific vessel, it can be fully optimized for
energy efficiency without compromising manoeuvrability or comfort levels.
Wärtsilä's in-house computational fluid dynamics (CFD) resources are used in
developing an optimal design for the total system.

High performance propeller designs usually involve a compromise between
increased efficiency and reduced vibration levels. Differences in rudder
resistance are significant, especially when small corrective steering forces are
used to keep a vessel on course. Energopac's sophisticated full-spade flap
rudder delivers excellent rudder balance and manoeuvring performance, and also
enables a smaller overall rudder blade area with lower consequent rudder drag.
In transit conditions, where only relatively small steering angles are required
to keep the vessel on course, the rudder bulb remains within the shadow of the
fairing cap wake.

"Energopac is an effective way of reducing the operational costs of any vessel
which spends a significant proportion of time in non-stop sailing," says Marcel
van Haaren, Manager, Sales Engineering, Wärtsilä Ship Power. "Hub losses in a
vessel equipped with a conventional rudder/propeller arrangement are
significant, but these can be greatly reduced by installing an Energopac system.
An increasing number of ship owners are looking to invest in technology that
improves energy efficiency and reduces fuel consumption and emissions, and
Energopac is a very effective solution."

For ships with highly-loaded controllable-pitch propeller systems, such as RoRo
vessels, ferries, container/multipurpose vessels and vessels with an ice class
notation, the potential savings with Energopac are large. Bornholmstrafikken's
RoRo vessel M/V Hammerodde, for example, reported that results are even better
than the predictions obtained from model tests carried out prior to the
installation of the Energopac solution.

In addition to the Energopac systems already delivered, another 20 Energopac
systems have been ordered and will be delivered in 2010 and 2011. Reductions in
fuel consumption depend on the vessel type, its operational profile and also on
the reference propeller and rudder. The performance improvements determined
through CFD calculations and/or model tests indicate power reduction values
ranging from a minimum of 2 per cent to a maximum of 9 per cent.

Pictures:
Energopac 1
Energopac 2
Caption: Wärtsilä's Energopac is an integrated propeller and rudder design.
Energopac solution delivers significant reductions in fuel costs

Media contact:

Ms Marit Holmlund-Sund
Senior Manager, PR and Marketing Communications
Wärtsilä Corporation
Direct tel: [phone]
Direct fax: [phone]
e-mail:[e-mail]
Internet: www.wartsila.com





Wärtsilä in brief

Wärtsilä is a global leader in complete lifecycle power solutions for the marine
and energy markets. By emphasising technological innovation and total
efficiency, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the
vessels and power plants of its customers.

In 2009, Wärtsilä's net sales totalled EUR 5.3 billion with more than 18,000
employees. The company has operations in 160 locations in 70 countries around
the world. Wärtsilä is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki, Finland.

www.wartsila.com









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    Energopac 1: 

http://hugin.info/131481/R/1433126/379070.jpg
    Energopac 2: 

http://hugin.info/131481/R/1433126/379071.jpg



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