Generator set upgrade for ocean going diamond miner

Jon Lawson

Wärtsilä and De Beers Marine have signed an agreement for the replacement of generating sets aboard De Beers’ diamond mining ship Debmar Pacific. The vessel, originally built in the 1970s, will be outfitted with new Wärtsilä gensets to extend their lifetime and improve reliability.

Debmar Pacific is engaged in diamond mining operations off the coast of Namibia. With modern gensets, the lifetime of the vessel is extended and its specific fuel oil consumption (SFOC) is reduced. In addition, the new equipment is more reliable and needs less maintenance, reducing disruptions in operations and OPEX expenditure.

Debmar Pacific is owned and operated by Debmarine Namibia, a joint venture between De Beers Group and the Namibian government. This agreement expands the cooperation between Wärtsilä and Debmarine Namibia. In 2017, De Beers Marine and Wärtsilä signed similar type of agreements to outfit new Wärtsilä gensets to Debmarine Namibia’s diamond mining vessels Grand Banks and Debmar Atlantic. Additionally, Wärtsilä is currently carrying out an engine control system upgrade project in Debmarine Namibia’s diamond-mining vessel Mafuta.

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