Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Wärtsilä launches new services package for ship lay-ups
Bangkok: In order to meet the needs of its customers, and to ensure the best lifecycle support of customers' vessels, Wärtsilä has introduced a new, comprehensive package of services, designed to cost efficiently manage hot and cold vessel lay-ups.
‘When laying-up, it is of the utmost importance that the vessel's machinery be kept in good condition. This is achieved through professional management of the de-activation and re-activation phases, and by regular inspections and maintenance during the interim period,’ the company said in a statement.
Wärtsilä's lay-up services will be available for engine room equipment covering 2-stroke & 4-stroke engines, propulsion lines, electrical & automation equipment, and boiler systems.
Centrally controlled and dispatched from Wärtsilä Switzerland, the expert crews are mobilised regionally in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Asia. The service package is an all-in-one agreement covering a selection of equipment, for de-activation, re-activation, lay-up inspections, or a combination of all of these.
"Vessel lay-up is a complex operation that requires methodology and expertise to minimize the risks of failure at restart, and during further operation. Wärtsilä has that expertise for ship machineries, and we can ensure ship owners that the job will be carried out with care, and in the interest of retaining the machineries' long-term value." says Tage Blomberg, group vp Wärtsilä Services.
When ships are laid-up with insufficient care, a humid environment will cause accelerated wear, corrosion and deterioration. The re-activation phase will then unveil, for instance, corrosion of the shafts, flanges, pins and journal surfaces, and deposits and sediments in cooling chambers, clogging of filters and gaskets, and seal deterioration.
Wärtsilä regularly performs in-situ repair and maintenance jobs, and claims it is well prepared to handle situations such as these. It offers in-situ shaft machining, laser alignment services, reconditioning, under water repairs, and flying squad services, on call.
As an option and on request of the owners, the lay-up period can also provide a good opportunity for implementing machinery upgrades, which will improve the fitness and operational efficiency, and the overall performance of the ship once it re-enters service. Wärtsilä offers a wide range of solutions for main and auxiliary engines, and propulsion lines and systems that offer operational cost reductions, increased reliability, and a reduction in emissions. The company is also looking to further expand its offering for ship lay-ups by providing watch crews, on a case by case basis. [16/06/09]
