Batteries Replace Generator on Viking Princess

A hybrid energy system has been installed on board Viking Princess making it the first offshore supply vessel where batteries have reduced the number of generators on board.  

Viking Princess completed sea trials and the system was handed over to Eidesvik Offshore on October 9, 2017.

She provides supplies to oil rigs in the North Sea and Barents Sea. The five-year old vessel runs on LNG-powered Wärtsilä engines. Depending on the ongoing task and weather conditions, the engine load varies between 90 percent and 20 percent.

With the Wärtsilä installed energy storage system on board, Viking Princess is expected to reduce fuel consumption by up to 30 percent in various operations and CO2 emissions are expected to be reduced by up to approximately 13-18 percent per year, depending on operational conditions and requirements.

Additionally, the hybrid solution will provide a more optimal load on the engines, while the intervals between engine maintenance can be extended.

Viking Princess now runs on a combination of a battery pack for energy storage and three LNG-fuelled Wärtsilä engines. The new energy storage solution provides balancing energy to cover the demand peaks, resulting in a more stable load on the engines. The technology is similar to that used in hybrid vehicles: it prevents the engine load from dipping, and uses the surplus to re-energize the battery, which can be charged as needed. Wärtsilä's remote monitoring and operational advisory services support the daily operation of the vessel.

“The success of this project will impact the future of the entire shipping industry,” says Sindre Utne, Manager Projects and Operations, Wärtsilä Norway.