Swiss marine power company WinGD is set to mark a significant milestone with the installation of its latest X‑S short‑stroke engine design. This achievement follows successful factory acceptance tests conducted with engine builder Dalian Marine Diesel in March.The six‑cylinder, 62cm‑bore 6X62‑S2.0 engine will be installed on a pulp carrier being built for a Chinese owner at COSCO Dalian shipyard.
Overview of the X‑S Series
The X‑S series represents a successor of well established RT‑flex50 and RT‑flex58 engines. Available in 52cm and 62cm bore sizes, these engines offer a range of fuel options, including traditional diesel or dual‑fuel LNG, methanol, and ammonia operation. The combination of a compact, simple, design and best‑in‑class fuel efficiency – around 10g/kWh lower than equivalent RT‑flex engines, a saving of around 4% depending on operating profile – make the new platform ideal for vessels that benefit from short-stroke engines
WinGD Director Sales, Volkmar Galke said: “The factory test for our first X‑S engine confirms that this new generation of short‑stroke engines delivers outstanding value for ship operators, providing significant operating cost advantages while enabling high efficiency in compact ship designs. We anticipate strong uptake as the global fleet of merchant vessels using short‑stroke engines is renewed and prepares for future regulation demands.”
Functional Advantages of the X‑S Design
The X‑S combination of shorter stroke length and higher engine speeds allows smaller propellers to generate power comparable to long‑stroke engines with similar cylinder bore sizes. This compact design makes the X‑S series particularly suitable for vessels operating in shallow drafts or requiring lower main deck or engine room heights. The existing fleet of short‑stroke engine users includes container feeders, car carriers, multipurpose cargo vessels, ro‑ro/con‑ro vessels and several others. The X‑S series has also been designed specifically to make short-stroke engines an attractive power solution for bulk carriers and tanker vessels that do not require the biggest engine bore sizes.
Efficiency and Environmental Benefits
In addition to reducing fuel consumption, the X‑S engines offer further efficiencies owing to their robust and lightweight design. Maintenance is simplified due to lower piston height, while the engines also feature extended time between overhauls compared to previous short‑stroke generations. Moreover, for dual‑fuel X‑S engines, intelligent control by exhaust recycling (iCER) facilitates reduced fuel consumption and meet with Tier III NOx in both gas and diesel modes, while minimising methane slip during LNG use.
Upcoming Installations and Advanced Features
A significant development involves the upcoming installation of an iCER‑equipped X‑S engine on a 7,000 CEU pure car/truck carrier (PCTC). These X62DF‑S engines will also feature WinGD’s Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) technology, further enhancing efficiency by dynamically optimising engine compression ratio based on fuel type, engine load, ambient conditions, and other parameters.
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Source: Wingd
