Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, a division of the Wärtsilä technology group, has secured orders to deliver cargo handling systems for three new Very Large Ammonia Carriers (VLACs) with a capacity of 93,000 m³ each.
These vessels are under construction at the Korean shipyard Hanwha Ocean, previously known as DSME. Two ships are for a Greek owner, and one is for a Japanese owner. The orders, booked by Wärtsilä in the fourth quarter of 2024.
“We are happy to have Wärtsilä as a project partner for these ships. We have earlier worked with them and have complete trust in the efficiency and reliability of their products,” stated Lee, Leader of the Basic Design Team at Hanwha Ocean.
Wärtsilä’s scope of supply includes the engineering, materials, supervision, commissioning, and gas trial phases of the complete cargo handling system. This integrated system is designed to optimize performance and ensure safety during cargo operations.
VLACs are a type of Very Large Gas Carrier specifically designed to transport full loads of ammonia. Due to ammonia’s high specific gravity, these vessels require reinforced cargo tanks and hulls and will have a deeper draught when fully loaded.
“Wärtsilä Gas Solutions has become the largest supplier of complete cargo handling systems for vessels in this segment,” commented Patrick Ha, Sales Manager at Wärtsilä Gas Solutions.
The delivery of the Wärtsilä equipment to the shipyard is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of the next year.
