Exmar installs first ammonia-fuelled two-stroke marine engine on newbuild

Belgium-headquartered gas shipowner Exmar is building a series of LPG and ammonia carriers and said the first vessel under construction has had maritime’s first two-stroke, ammonia-fuelled engine installed.

The X52DF-A engine, designed by Swiss marine power company WinGD and built by Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Engine & Machinery business unit was installed on board the newbuild 46,000-m³ LPG/ammonia

Swiss marine power company WinGD has become the first engine designer to bring an ammonia-fuelled two-stroke marine engine to market following the delivery and installation on a 46,000m³ dual gas carrier at HD Hyundai Mipo shipyard in South Korea.

"The vessel will be the first ammonia-fuelled gas carrier in service, and the engine among the first of WinGD’s ammonia-fuelled X-DF-A design to enter commercial operation," WinGD said.

The 52-bore engine went into the first of four sister vessels for Exmar and WinGD claimed laboratory test engine runs at the HD Hyundai factory confirmed "low emissions and efficient performance similar to diesel engines".

The engine designer said its X-DF-A engine has high-pressure ammonia injection supplemented with a low, targeted pilot fuel dose of around 5% at full load.

"The engine delivers load handling, dynamic response and fuel efficiency on par with WinGD’s equivalent diesel-fuelled X engines in both ammonia and diesel operating modes. Further optimisation will continue for the second engine in the 52-bore series, which will be delivered later this year," WinGD said, claiming that some 30 X-DF-A engines have been ordered to date, for vessels including gas carriers, bulk carriers and container ships.

Ammonia contains no carbon molecule and, when produced using renewable electricity, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared with conventional fuel.