Storied past, carbon-neutral future

With its ability to lower CO2 and GHG emissions even in its fossil form, growing bunkering infrastructure and widening availability, LNG is a strong choice as a maritime decarbonisation transition fuel, noted Uwe Lauber, chief executive for two-stroke engine maker Everllence: “2025 has seen a large increase in ME-GI orders as methane makes for an excellent transition fuel on the way to decarbonising shipping.” Mr Lauber’s remarks were made in July as Everllence celebrated the sale of its 1,000th ME-GI LNG dual-fuel engine, which will be installed in a Hapag-Lloyd container ship under construction in China. Everllence introduced the ME-GI slow-speed, high-pressure, electronically controlled LNG dual-fuel engine in 2014.

But like all marine engine designers, Everllence is not a one-trick, one-fuel pony. In assessing the implications of MEPC 83, Christian Ludwig, who heads Everllence’s global sales and promotion for its two-stroke engine business, pointed out that the enginemaker remains fuel agnostic.

“We aim to have applications that can abate in all segments and sizes,” said Mr Ludwig. “For us, it is not important whether they choose an LGIM, LGIA or an LGIP engine, as long as they choose Everllence B&W,” he said. ‘LGIM’, ‘LGIA’ and ‘LGIP’ reference the types of prime movers in the company’s portfolio that are capable of combusting methanol, ammonia and liquefied petroleum gas, respectively.

Mr Ludwig was on hand at Nor-Shipping 2025 in Oslo to unveil the enginemaker’s new brand identity and reveal his company’s progress on developing ammonia dual-fuel engines.

If you do not recognise the Everllence brand, you will. Owned by Volkswagen Group, it is the new identity of MAN Energy Solutions, one of the world’s largest designers of two- and four-stroke marine engines, drawing on a pedigree of engine manufacturing that stretches back to the earliest diesel-powered oceangoing ship, M/V Selandia, which made its maiden voyage with two B&W four-stroke engines in 1912.

Ammonia engines

Proponents of ammonia see it as a strong contender to push shipping towards carbon-neutrality because it does not contain carbon and is an excellent hydrogen carrier. Mr Ludwig explained that progress was “better than expected” with its ammonia dual-fuel engine development, with “very good results” on NOx and direct ammonia slip (unburned fuel in the combustion process). It is running a test engine at its Research Centre in Copenhagen and an Everllence B&W 7S60ME-LGIA (liquid gas injection ammonia) Mk 10.5 prototype engine at the Mitsui E&S Tamano Factory in Japan.

“A strong contender to push shipping towards carbon-neutrality”

Everllence plans to begin testing a commercial engine at Hyundai in Korea at the end of 2025, with delivery set for Q1 2026, according to Mr Ludwig. While internal discussions are ongoing on a broader commercial rollout, based on available shipyard slots and the progress on the ammonia dual-fuel engine, Mr Ludwig teased that there could be some other engine announcements coming this year.

One shipowner leaning into ammonia is Høegh Autoliners, which announced at Nor-Shipping it would have its first Aurora-class pure car truck carrier (PCTC) in the water operating on the carbon-free fuel in 2027. This PCTC is expected to have the same type of 60-bore ammonia dual-fuel engine being tested at the Tamano Factory. The ship is one of a dozen Aurora-class 9,100-CEU PCTCs certified by DNV as methanol-ready and ammonia-ready.

Mr Ludwig highlighted the potential for significant CO2 abatement with green ammonia but stressed the importance of rigorous training, safety protocols and systems for handling and understanding the toxic fuel, both on board and in port, and the finalisation of classification rules on ammonia slip and NOx. “It’s quite an endeavour for the industry. It’s not menial in any way,” he concluded.