Stena will have the vessel’s main engines converted to run on methanol and marine gas oil as a dual-fuel concept. The project is to prove and showcase methanol as an innovative, safe and sustainable fuel for shipping, which consequently lowers the vessel’s SOx and particulate emissions.
Metso will integrate the related control and monitoring functionalities within the vessel’s automation system. The scope includes a new redundant process controller, I/O system and eight new data communication lines to the main engines’ control system and methanol fuel pumps. The advanced automation solutions will allow the vessel to efficiently control the fuel plant and meet the new exhaust gas emission regulations set forth by IMO and the European Union.

The delivery also includes an upgrade of the existing Damatic XD automation system installed when the vessel was built in 2001. The control room stations and related communication network will be upgraded to the latest version of Metso DNA automation technology. Also included is an DNA Trend & Event Archive with tools for analyzing process values and events. Additionally, the main engines’ remote control system will be modernized with two new redundant process controllers, an I/O system and two dedicated touch screen user interfaces.

“Making life-cycle upgrades with our technology is simple. There is no need to change everything; we can update only the life-cycle critical parts and enable the system operators to work efficiently with the newest version of the DNA user interface,” said Per Syvertsen, senior technical manager, Marine Automation Applications, Metso.

Delivery will take place in the first quarter of 2015.

The Stena Germanica was lengthened in 2007 and upgraded in 2010. The vessel is 241 meters long, 29 meters wide and has a gross tonnage of 51,837 and 3,907 lane meters. There is accommodation capacity for 1,300 passengers. She sails between Gothenburg and Kiel.

Other recent Metso automation installations include Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas.