WinGD installs first ammonia-capable engine on gas carrier

Swiss marine engine maker Winterthur Gas & Diesel (WinGD) has installed its ammonia-capable dual-fuel engine on an LPG/ammonia carrier being built for EXMAR.

IMAGE: An aerial shot of WinGD's engine installation. WinGD

The two-stroke 52-bore engine, built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, will make the vessel the first ammonia-capable gas carrier in service.

The engine was installed on the first of four 46,000 cbm LPG/ammonia carriers under construction at HD Hyundai Mipo shipyard in South Korea.

The dual-fuel engine is injected with high-pressure ammonia as the main fuel, along with about 5% pilot fuel to initiate combustion.

A pilot fuel is needed because ammonia has a high ignition temperature. However, a higher proportion of pilot fuel can undermine ammonia’s zero-emission potential when using green ammonia, due to the GHG emissions from the diesel pilot fuel.

WinGD conducted full-load testing of its ammonia dual-fuel engine with 5% pilot fuel in March this year. The company said the factory confirmed results from its laboratory tests that had showed low emissions and fuel efficiency that was similar to diesel engines.

WinGD said in January that it had already secured 30 orders for these engines across the bulk carrier, container ship and gas carrier segments.

Demand for ammonia as an alternative fuel is slowly increasing. In May, Global Maritime Forum had forecast that ammonia could surpass LNG and become a preferred low-emission marine fuel by the mid-2030s.

By Nachiket Tekawade

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