Wartsila to Supply Middle East’s First LNG Harbor Tug

On Tuesday, Wärtsilä announced that Drydocks World (DDW) based in Dubai, UAE, contracted with Wärtsilä to design and supply the propulsion and other equipment for a new harbor tug that will operate on LNG. This will be the first harbor tug in the Middle East region to operate on natural gas. The 95 foot long tug is the first of a series of nine such vessels to be built and operated by DDW. The project is part of a ‘green’ initiative launched by the Dubai government, and is intended to set an example for promoting environmental sustainability throughout the region. In all, Wärtsilä will supply the ship design, two 9-cylinder Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel engines, Wärtsilä Steerable Thrusters (WST), type WST-18 Compact thrusters, the automation equipment, and the Wärtsilä LNGPac system. The Wärtsilä LNGPac is a complete fuel gas handling system for LNG fuelled ships. It includes the bunkering station, the LNG tank and related process equipment, as well as the control and monitoring system.