WinGD has announced that it is on track to deliver its first X-DF-A dual-fuel ammonia engines by the first quarter of 2025, with the first X-DF-A powered vessels in service from 2026.
Zero-carbon fuel engines
In a statement, WinGD said that this time frame is ‘backed by concrete orders and recent rapid progress in developing an engine concept capable of using the zero-carbon fuel efficiently, safely and reliably’.
The company said that its plans are supported by ‘strong collaborations with engine and ship builders in China, Japan and Korea’. WinGD signed a memorandum of understanding with Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd last month to prepare X-DF-A engines for applications across a range of vessel sizes and for integration with the engine builder’s ammonia fuel supply system. This follows a development project with Hyundai Heavy Industries initiated in June 2022.
WinGD has also been working with shipowners. Last month, it signed an agreement with AET Tankers and sister company Akademi Laut Malaysia to develop crew training on ammonia engines. In January, it announced a partnership with CMB.Tech, a sister company of Belgian shipowner CMB, to develop ammonia-fuelled engines for ten 210,000 DWT bulk carriers.
Alternative fuel concepts
In its statement, WinGD added that it has been focusing on defining safety aspects related to the engine installation and ammonia supply system, and it recently published the guidance and installation documentation for its X-DF-A engines across a range of bore sizes.
WinGD CEO Dominik Schneiter said: ‘For the industry to be truly ready for alternative fuels, the engine concepts that use them – and the vessel designs, auxiliary systems, crew training and field support network – need to be ready before the fuels become widely available. Our development timeframe, as evidenced by these milestones in research and collaboration, shows that we are on track to give shipowners and operators the time they need to prepare for decarbonised ship power using ammonia as fuel.’
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Source: WinGD
