IHC Parts & Services, part of IHC Merwede, and Wärtsilä Netherlands (WNL) have teamed up to provide life-cycle support for ships with Bolnes and Smit Bolnes engines.
Ships fitted with Bolnes and Smit Bolnes engines are on average thirty years old and over. The plants where these engines were built, closed years ago. Therefore, it is increasingly difficult to find parts, yet there are still over 300 ships with these engines in operation. The most valuable components of a dredging vessel are those that are specifically used for dredging and the systems for propulsion and energy supply.
The Cooperation
As part of the cooperation, Wärtsilä and IHC Parts & Services offer the complete upgrade solution for the ship, including dredging components and ship service. Wärtsilä ensures total maintenance and upgrade packages for the complete propulsion, including every part of the engine and automation up to the propeller.
Advantages
This technical research and life-cycle support extend the intervals between services, which result in affordable maintenance costs. In addition, it limits the high cost of unscheduled maintenance to a minimum and increases fuel savings.
Picture: Service engineer of IHC Parts & Services working on the Smit Bolnes motor
