First Wärtsilä 31 Retrofit for Norwegian Fishing Vessel

Norwegian fishing vessel Gardar is about to become the first fishing vessel to be retrofitted with a Wärtsilä 31 main engine, with significant improvements promised in both emissions and fuel consumption.

"Wärtsilä will deliver its first ever Wärtsilä 31 engine retrofit to Gardar, a fishing vessel owned by Norwegian Gardar AS, built originally in 1998. After the retrofit is completed, Gardar’s fuel consumption will be reduced by 200,000 litres and NOx emissions by over 88 tonnes annually," said a press release.

The decision to retrofit Gardar’s engine will have a huge impact on the vessel’s environmental footprint. Lower fuel costs and NOx fees, combined with the longer service interval of the Wärtsilä 31 engine, will result in significantly lower operating costs.  

The existing 18-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 engine in V-configuration will be replaced with the 10-cylinder Wärtsilä 31 engine in V-configuration. Wärtsilä 31 engine holds the Guinness World Record as the most effective medium-speed diesel engine in the world. In addition, the vessel will be installed with Wärtsilä NOx Reducer emission after-treatment system with a compact silencer. The propulsion control system will also be upgraded.  

Norwegian NOx Fund has committed a substantial amount of support for this project, resulting in a very satisfactory repayment period.

“We are extremely happy to be able to make Gardar more ecologically sound. The investment in retrofitting the vessel will quickly pay itself back in terms of reduced fuel costs and NOx fees. We have been very satisfied with Wärtsilä’s engines and propulsions and consider installing the NOx reducers to two more of our vessels,” says Christian Halstensen, owner and manager of Gardar AS.  

“We could not be prouder of this agreement, as it shows responsibility from the customer and gives us the opportunity to contribute to more environmentally sound shipping. At Wärtsilä, we understand that a project like this is an investment financially, but it is also an investment in our future. We warmly support every action that goes beyond just meeting the environmental regulations,” says Cato Esperø, Sales Director, Wärtsilä Services.