Wärtsilä extends methane reduction technology to 46TS-DF engine
Wärtsilä 46TS-DF will now be protected against NOx and methane slip (Source: Wärtsilä)
Wärtsilä has extended its NextDF technology to a third engine type, the 46TS-DF, further reducing methane slip from LNG-fuelled vessels. The upgraded dual-fuel engine now cuts methane emissions to as low as 1.1% of fuel use – below the 3.1% benchmark set by FuelEU Maritime and IMO guidelines.
NextDF technology, introduced in 2023, optimises combustion control to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions significantly, including nitrogen oxides (NOx) and CO₂, while maintaining high performance and fuel efficiency. LNG is a key transitional fuel for shipping, but unburnt methane is a potent GHG. Wärtsilä's technology offers shipowners a way to meet tightening decarbonisation regulations without sacrificing operational stability.
The Wärtsilä 46TS-DF engine, launched in 2022, uses two-stage turbocharging for high efficiency and is designed to be retrofitted for future sustainable fuels. The first installation of the upgraded engine will take place on MSC World Asia, a new cruise ship being built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France for MSC Cruises.
Developed under the EU co-funded GREEN RAY project, the Wärtsilä 46TS-DF joins the Wärtsilä 31DF and 25DF as part of the NextDF-equipped engine line-up.
