Wärtsilä has announced plans to carry out significant upgrades and retrofits on the Wärtsilä RT-flex main engines of two bulk carriers owned by Ulusoy Sealines. These modifications are designed to extend the vessels’ operational life, enhance performance, and improve fuel efficiency, while significantly reducing emissions.
The upgrades aim to optimize engine performance to align with the current operational needs of the two bulk carriers, ULUSOY 11 and ULUSOY 12, both of which have undergone major changes since their original delivery in 2011. The retrofits will include the integration of Wärtsilä’s Part Load Optimisation (WPLO), Intelligence Combustion Control (ICC), and Fuel Actuated Sackless Technology (FAST). The company expects these upgrades to improve the carbon intensity indicator (CII) by 5%, which corresponds to an extension of the vessels’ CII rating by two years.
In addition to the environmental benefits, Wärtsilä estimates the engine retrofits will save nearly 250 tons of fuel annually, translating into potential cost savings of over $150,000 per year. The upgrades will also reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 780 tons per vessel per year.
The necessary parts and equipment for the two vessels are scheduled to be delivered during the first half of 2025.
A. Akin OZCOREKC, DPA-OPR Manager at Ulusoy Sealines, highlighted the company’s commitment to operating its fleet in the most environmentally sustainable and efficient way possible. “These engine upgrades are, therefore, very important to us, and we are excited to provide added value to our customers by enhancing our existing assets with these state-of-the-art engine retrofits,” he said.
The collaboration with Wärtsilä is part of Ulusoy Sealines’ ongoing efforts to maintain high standards of environmental and operational efficiency, as well as to comply with international regulations. Recently, the Turkish shipping company also joined Gasum’s FuelEU Maritime pool to ensure compliance with the EU’s maritime fuel regulations.