New engines developed for ammonia, hydrogen and methanol

Engine manufacturers are introducing engines to run on alternative fuels including hydrogen, methanol and ammonia as increasing numbers of tugs and workboats are ordered with these fuels.

IHI Power Systems is preparing its first dual-fuel engines in Japan, to retrofit onto a tugboat for ammonia-fuelled propulsion, which the company will present at ITS Convention 2024.

The Japanese engineering group is working in collaboration with NYK Line, Nihon Shipyard Co, Japan Engine Corp and ClassNK on the ammonia-fuelled A-Tug, ready to deploy in 2024. Keihin Dock Co will convert the ammonia-fuelled A-Tug with Niigata four-stroke dual-fuel engines and Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha will operate and manage the vessel.

Before installing these engines in June 2024, IHI Power Systems conducted operational tests at its Ota plant in the Gunma Prefecture. 

IHI Power Systems deputy director for the marine power system business division Toru Motoda says the latest trials tested exhaust gas aftertreatment devices and fuel supply systems, confirming emissions of di-nitrogen monoxide, which has a greenhouse effect about 300 times greater than CO2, and unburnt ammonia, are virtually zero.

Development, manufacture and shop trials of the Niigata four-stroke, ammonia-fuelled engines followed, ready for installation. Land-based tests in 2023 confirmed stable combustion of fuel ammonia with an 80% co-firing ratio. 

IHI Power Systems has since achieved a 95%+ ammonia fuel-mixture ratio with a new engine, says Mr Motoda. He adds the integration testing with exhaust treatment and fuel systems was successful “confirming near-zero nitrous oxide and unburnt ammonia emissions.”

“We verified there were no ammonia leakages during and after operations,” he says. “Installation remains scheduled for mid 2024.” In parallel, project partners have finalised the hull and topsides design and engineering for converting an existing tug into an A-Tug, are working to overcome regulatory clearances and are writing operational manuals.

Anglo Belgian Corp (ABC) unveiled its third Evolve-series engine at the Europort 2023 exhibition in Rotterdam, the Netherlands for large workboats, tugs and inland waterways vessels.

Its Evolve 6EL23 engine is a multi-fuel, six-cylinder medium-speed engine for newbuild projects. It can run efficiently on diesel with an exhaust aftertreatment system for compliance with IMO Tier III and European Union Stage V emissions standards.

This engine is designed for use with biofuels, synthetic fuels and LNG, and with new fuels such as methanol and hydrogen for ultra-low and zero emissions.

ABC says it is the third engine model from the Evolve platform, joining the 4EL23 as the entry-level of this engine line up and the Evolve 20EV23, ABC’s flagship model within the range, which was launched in 2022.

This six-cylinder Evolve engine was introduced as the industry enters “a new era of green shipping” says ABC Engines chief executive Tim Berckmoes.lr “The 6EL23 revolutionises the industry by seamlessly embracing a range of fuels, from conventional options to green alternatives,” he says. “The Evolve 6EL23 is primed for our business partners’ operations towards low and zero-carbon power.”

Evolve 6EL23 has a cylinder power output of 360 kW/cylinder, advanced fuel injection technology, variable valve timing, a single or double-stage turbocharger and a range in revolutions from 720 rpm to 1,200 rpm. Its nominal power range is 1,230 kW at 750 rpm to 2,160 kW with a two-stage turbocharger and 1,200 rpm, an idling speed of 400 rpm, cylinder bore of 230 mm and stroke of 310 mm.

ABC also received type-approval from Lloyd’s Register for the BeHydro hydrogen-powered dual-fuel engines, jointly developed with Euronav’s CMB.Tech. This new engine series has a capacity of up to 2.7 MW, can use hydrogen when available or conventional fuels. ABC says vessel owners can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 85% using this dual-fuel technology.

The dual-fuel hydrogen engines are ready for all marine applications worldwide,” says Mr Berckmoes. One of the first applications for these BeHydro engines, as witnessed by Riviera Maritime Media, is on the world’s first hydrogen-fuelled tugboat Hydrotug 1, which was unveiled by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Belgium in December 2023.