WinGD marks milestone in ammonia engine race
The gas carrier for Exmar is being built at HD Hyundai Mipo shipyard
(Source: WinGD)
An ammonia-fuelled X-DF-A two-stroke marine engine developed by Switzerland-based WinGD has been delivered and installed on the first of a series of four LPG/ammonia carriers being built for Belgian shipowner, Exmar. The 46,000m3 vessel will be the first ammonia-fuelled gas carrier to be delivered.
The 52-bore engine was built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Engine & Machinery Business Unit and installed on the ship that is being built at HD Hyundai Mipo shipyard. The engine has a high-pressure ammonia injection system with a low, targeted pilot fuel dose of around 5% at full load, WinGD said.
In performance terms, the unit will provide load handling, dynamic response and fuel efficiency on a par with the engine designer’s diesel-fuelled engines. Following delivery of the first engine, further optimisation is expected to take place before the second unit is delivered later this year.
Sebastian Hensel, WinGD’s vice president of Research and Development, commented: “With such convincing results, it is clear that ammonia fuel has a vital role to play in the decarbonisation of our industry. Working with trail-blazer partners like Exmar has been essential in bringing this technology to market.”
WinGD holds orders for about 30 X-DF-A engines so far, mostly for gas carriers but also for bulk carriers and container ships.
