Wärtsilä Inks Lifecycle Agreement with P&O Ferries for Two Vessels
Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a Lifecycle Agreement with UK-based P&O Ferries for two of its vessels – the M/V Pioneer and the M/V Liberté.
The scope of the five-year agreement the Lifecycle Agreement with P&O Ferries includes parts and maintenance services, as well as maintenance planning, operational support and Wärtsilä’s Expert Insight predictive maintenance service.
The predictive service enables issues to be identified before they cause a delay in the schedule. Delays are a big pain point for ferry operators because delays mean they need to make up the time through increasing speed which, consequently, results in higher fuel bills and emissions.
Both vessels feature hybrid propulsion with battery power and four high-efficiency Wärtsilä 31 main engines. They are expected to produce 40% fewer emissions than the ships they replace. By ensuring their optimal performance, the agreement will further enhance the ships’ environmental sustainability.
The order was booked by Wärtsilä in January 2024.
“We are focused on making P&O Ferries the best ferry company in Europe and this includes doing everything possible to reduce our carbon footprint and protect the environment. The ability to leverage Wärtsilä’s advanced digital solutions is central to this – helping us to improve vessel uptime, save fuel and decrease emissions,” said Stephen Pitt, Senior Procurement Manager, P&O Ferries.
“Wärtsilä shares P&O Ferries’ commitment to decarbonizing shipping operations. We are, therefore, extremely pleased to support these two environmentally friendly ferries by optimizing their operational performance. The Lifecycle Agreement represents a partnership for highest operational efficiency, and the experts supported by digitals tools to ensure minimal interruption, as well as reliable and sustainable operations,” added Lee Martindale, General Manager, Sales for UK & Ireland, Wärtsilä.
The M/V Pioneer started commercial operations in June 2023, while the M/V Liberté is scheduled to enter service in early 2024. According to Wärtsilä, the 230-metre long ships are world’s largest double-ended ferries, and sail between Dover, England and Calais, France.