Wartsila Defense, a U.S. division of Finnish Wartsila which manufactures and services power sources and other equipment in the marine and energy markets, has won a contract valued at as much as $12,2 million for U.S. Navy submarine propeller systems.
The contract award from U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center enables the company to make a Navy submarine propeller and propulsor for on-site repairs.
The contract will have a five year ordering period. Work under the contract will be completed at various shipyards within and outside of the continental U.S. according to individual task orders and is expected to be completed by January 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $186,357 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
According to the company website, Wärtsilä Controllable Pitch (WCP) propeller systems provide excellent performance and manoeuvrability, and are recommended for vessels with frequent sailing routes that involve multiple operating conditions. These can be, for example, vessels requiring full power in both bollard pull and freesailing conditions, or that make frequent port calls. WCP propeller systems can also be applicable for vessels, including submarines, that encounter varying weather conditions or demanding operational requirements such as dynamic positioning.
Wärtsilä’s hydrodynamic experts tailor the propeller for each application to achieve the optimum balance between fuel consumption and comfort levels as set by the customer.