Samsung Heavy-built first US FLNG to use Wärtsilä eco-friendly engines

Wärtsilä, a Finnish energy technology company, will supply dual-fuel engines and ultra-large propulsion equipment for the first floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) production facility in the United States being built by Samsung Heavy Industries. The customized solutions are expected to accelerate development of offshore gas fields in North America by enabling the facility to evacuate safely and operate reliably even in extreme marine environments such as hurricanes.

According to Wärtsilä on Nov. 6, the company won a contract in the second quarter to supply engines and thrusters for the first unit of the Delfin LNG project by Delfin Midstream of the United States. Delfin 1 will be designed and built by Samsung Heavy Industries and installed about 40 nautical miles (about 74 kilometers) off the coast of Louisiana.

The facility will have an annual LNG export capacity of 4.4 million tons and is scheduled to begin commercial operations in early 2030. Key equipment supplied by Wärtsilä will be delivered starting in the third quarter of 2027.

Wärtsilä will supply three 46DF dual-fuel engines along with an advanced exhaust gas treatment system featuring selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and oxidation catalyst (Oxicat) technologies. This supports eco-friendly operations by improving fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.

The project will also feature three of the largest custom-built, hull-mounted thrusters Wärtsilä has ever produced. These thrusters use a patented design that allows maintenance and repairs to be performed internally without dry-docking the vessel, minimizing downtime. The design reflects the characteristics of the Gulf of Mexico, where extreme weather events are frequent.

Björn Axfors, senior hull and marine engineer at Delfin Midstream, said, "For an FLNG off the coast of Louisiana, the ability to quickly disconnect from mooring and evacuate to a safe location during a hurricane warning is essential. The capability to lift the thrusters for onboard maintenance before hurricane season is part of the design to ensure the safety of the asset and crew."

Jung Young-jin, executive vice president of Samsung Heavy Industries, added, "The proven dual-fuel engines and steerable thrusters contributed to meeting the project's special requirements." Delfin FLNG 1 is the first FLNG project in US history, with Samsung Heavy Industries solely performing the entire engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) process worth about $2.9 billion (about 4.06 trillion won).

Bernd Bertram, vice president of Wärtsilä Marine, said, "As demand for flexible energy infrastructure grows, interest in FLNG is also increasing. By combining propulsion systems and ship integration capabilities, we are helping customers meet both current operational needs and future expectations."

※ This article is an AI translation of the Korean original published by Korea Credit News; it was checked by automated quality guards and published by the English edition desk.