VESSEL REVIEW | Wilson Eco I – Norway's Wilson to deploy new bulker on shortsea and inland routes

Norwegian shipping company Wilson recently welcomed a new cargo vessel to its fleet.

The 89.43- by 13-metre (293.4- by 43-foot) Wilson Eco I was built by India’s Udupi Cochin Shipyard to a Bureau Veritas-classed design by Dutch naval architecture firm Conoship International.

She is the first in a series of six 3,800DWT ships to be fitted with diesel-electric propulsion and a hold that can transport bulk cargo. The series was designed by Conoship for operation on European short-sea routes with access to a majority of ports as well as canals and locks, and examples are in also in operation with other owners.

Wilson said the ship’s acquisition marks the start of a broader move toward a “more sustainable, future‑proof fleet” with additional hulls to follow. All six ships in the series are expected to be delivered by 2028 (Conoship has also designed a series of 6,300DWT ships for Wilson, and eight of these are to be delivered).

“The ship is engineered for easy upgrades to alternative and wind‑assist integration without any large modifications,” Conoship told Baird Maritime. “Crews will notice quiet propulsion and composed seakeeping from day one, thanks to the combination of a diesel‑electric system and the optimised hull lines.”

Easily reconfigurable depending on operator and regulatory requirements

The vessel boasts a modular design that allows for easier upgrades and adaptations. Conoship said this approach extends vessel lifespans and enables operators to respond quickly to changing regulatory requirements.

The vessel adopts a standard design that was developed by Conoship to be fuel-flexible. In addition to featuring diesel-electric propulsion promising low fuel consumption over time, the vessel can also be converted to permit operation on alternative fuels when these become available.

“It replaces aging tonnage with a greener, much more efficient ship that keeps schedule reliability while lowering fuel burn and emissions,” said Conoship. “The vessel is around 30 per cent below the IMO EEDI 2025 requirement and is expected to remain CII‑compliant for years without modifications.”

The diesel-electric propulsion setup uses a D&A Electric system for high efficiency, especially in waves. The system also delivers low noise in addition to ensuring improved power management.

“The diesel‑electric architecture is tuned for wave‑condition efficiency, not just calm‑water trials,” added Conoship.

The system includes two electric motors driving a propeller to enable the ship to sail at a service speed of 10 knots. Three Volvo Penta D13C3‑B SCR-equipped diesel engines meanwhile drive AC generators to supply electrical power for the onboard systems.

For additional lateral manoeuvrability, the vessel relies on a 250kW electric tunnel thruster.

Allowance for possible wind-assist propulsion installation

The design can also accommodate two Econowind suction wing-type sails to serve as alternative propulsion for the vessel. Conoship said that the pre‑arranged wind‑assist foundations and interfaces will enable the integration of sails whenever the owner chooses to have those installed.

For Conoship, the challenge in designing Wilson Eco I lay in balancing cargo intake with shallow‑draught performance in a compact hull and in integrating diesel‑electric propulsion for maximum real‑world efficiency while keeping the solution simple and robust.

“The closed bridgewings were a clear Wilson requirement,” Conoship told Baird Maritime. “Integrating them cleanly into the superstructure made them stand out from the crowd of other [sister ships].”

Conoship learned that using standardised modules for power, controls, and wind‑assist integration shortens build time and reduces integration risk and makes it easy to switch to alternative fuels in the future. According to the company, this was also the basis for its 3,800DWT and 6,300DWT ships that have been built at various yards worldwide since 2022.

“Locking wind‑assist foundations and cableways into the baseline design gives the owners an easy upgrade path later,” the designer remarked.