Technology group Wärtsilä will supply the engine and propulsion equipment for a 3,800 DWT heavy lift vessel ordered by Netherlands-based operator Hartman Seatrade. The owner has established a new shipyard, Rock Shipbuilding, where the vessel will be built. The order with Wärtsilä was booked in Q4 2025.

The vessel will operate with the Wärtsilä 31 engine, selected to minimise fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. The engine’s modular design is intended to reduce maintenance requirements and costs, while allowing both slow and fast steaming. Teele Hartman, Managing Director at Hartman Seatrade, says the company is prioritising efficiency, reliability, and operational flexibility, adding that Wärtsilä engines have performed consistently across the fleet and that the Wärtsilä 31 matches the operating range required while keeping maintenance demands low.

Wärtsilä will also supply a gearbox enabling PTI, PTO and PTH operation, supporting further improvements in fuel efficiency. A Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) will be managed by Wärtsilä EcoControl and hydrodynamically optimised using Wärtsilä’s Opti Design solution; running the propeller at low speed when full thrust is unnecessary is also described as delivering additional fuel savings. Delivery of the supplied equipment is scheduled for spring 2027.

Roger Holm, President of Wärtsilä Marine and Executive Vice President at Wärtsilä Corporation, notes that owners face pressure to balance costs, reliability and efficiency with sustainability targets, while retaining operational flexibility. He adds that efficient energy use and advanced equipment are central to meeting regulations while staying profitable, and that the Wärtsilä 31 engine combined with complementary technologies provides a logical route for cargo operators.

Wärtsilä and Hartman Seatrade have worked together over the years, with equipment supplied for several vessels in the owner’s fleet.