Two new 150-ton bollard pull anchor handling offshore support vessels (AHOSVs) being built at the Colombo Dockyard in Sri Lanka have been designed by Wärtsilä and will be powered by Wärtsilä integrated propulsion systems, according to a company release. The order was placed in August 2014, and the equipment is scheduled for fast-track delivery in July 2015. The 78-m-long (256-ft-long) vessels will be employed for anchor-handling operations in offshore sector applications.

The propulsion system selected for the vessels will include a 9-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 engine operating on marine diesel oil. The controllable pitch propeller system and tunnel thrusters will also be supplied by Wärtsilä. The various pieces of equipment will be fully integrated to ensure maximum efficiency with low fuel consumption. The integrated solution also will ensure that the vessels’ 150 tons bollard pull is comfortably achieved.

“We are confident that Wärtsilä has the experience and technical know-how to meet our demand for an optimal design with reliability and guaranteed performance. By integrating the various components of the propulsion system, Wärtsilä can reduce the number of interfaces, which saves building time and costs,” said D.V. Abeysinghe, general manager (projects and engineering) at Colombo Dockyard Plc.

There is an option for a further two AHOSVs to be exercised by the beginning of 2015, according to the release.