Wärtsilä gensets for RFA support ship

Wärtsilä Corporation has been awarded a contract by the UK Ministry of Defence to supply four diesel generating sets for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessel "Fort Austin". The four Wärtsilä generating sets will each be powered by a Wärtsilä 8L20 diesel engine to give an electrical output of 1290 kWe at 900 rpm. These sets will replace the existing outfit of eight smaller, faster-running sets. The new sets will be delivered by Wärtsilä in January 2004, and installed during the ship's forthcoming refit. Replacing the generating sets will give the "Fort Austin" the benefits of modern machinery, designed and built for greater reliability and reduced maintenance, thereby lowering the overall costs. The 23,400 tonnes displacement "Fort Austin" was built in 1979 and is propelled by a Sulzer low-speed diesel engine. She carries ammunition and other stores for replenishing Royal Navy warships at sea. She is one of more than 20 ships in the civilian-manned RFA fleet supplying RN warships at sea with stores and fuel. They operate world-wide. This is the latest in a series of contracts concerning RN and RFA ships awarded to Wärtsilä. The RFA vessel "Sir Bedivere" was re-engined in 1996. Newbuildings with Wärtsilä engines include the RFA fleet oilers "Wave Knight" and "Wave Ruler", the landing platform dock (LPD) vessels HMS "Albion" and HMS "Bulwark", the Bay class of four LSD(A) (landing ships dock auxiliary) vessels and the Type 45 air defence destroyers. HMS "Albion" and "Bulwark" are also equipped with Lips propellers and the Bay class with Lips azimuthing thrusters.