WinGD's Dual-Fuel Ammonia Engine Orderbook Nears 30

WinGD Ammonia Test Engine in Winterthur, Switzerland. Image Credit: WinGD

Swiss engine manufacturer WinGD claims that it has secured orders for nearly 30 dual-fuel ammonia engines from various segments, including bulk carriers, container ships, tankers and gas carriers.

WinGD confirmed that its dual-fuel ammonia engine has successfully met key parameters during full-load testing, it said in an emailed statement on Thursday.

Testing at WinGD's Winterthur facility demonstrated that ammonia as a marine fuel can achieve the same level of thermal efficiency as diesel fuel.

The tests were conducted using a targeted pilot fuel ratio of 5%.

Ammonia dual-fuel engines rely on a small amount of conventional fuel, such as diesel, to initiate combustion.

This is because ammonia has a higher ignition temperature and lower flammability compared to traditional marine fuels, making it difficult to ignite on its own.

WinGD plans to start delivering its first engines by mid-2025.

The initial batch of dual-fuel ammonia engines will be supplied for ammonia carriers owned by Exmar LPG and bulk carriers operated by CMB.Tech. These engines, classified under the 52- and 72-bore categories, will be manufactured in South Korea and China.

They will also be the first low-speed ammonia engines to be delivered for commercial ships.

"After intensive efforts to understand the principles of ammonia injection and combustion, we are the first two-stroke engine designer to demonstrate 100% ammonia operation with 5% pilot fuel consumption and such low emissions," Sebastian Hensel, vice president of research & development at WinGD, said.