October 22 - Four of Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics' (WWL) ro-ro vessels have been equipped with a new bulb, in order to operate better at sea and keep emissions low.
The new 130-tonne bulbous bow is much slimmer than its predecessor, says WWL, and makes the vessel less resistant to movements of water, and therefore more efficient at sea.
Geir Fagerheim, vice president of fleet management at WWL, explained that the new bulb is also a lot more flexible than the previous model.
"The old bulb was optimised for one specific draft. The draft itself and the cargo onboard are constantly changing, which means it is important to have a bulb that works well across a wide range of drafts."
The new bulbs, which were designed by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, are already showing promising performance results, added Fagerheim.
"When comparing the vessels before and after the conversion, we clearly see an improvement in operational efficiency. The modification has been very successful in adapting to the current service profile of the vessels."
