Swiss marine power company WinGD has confirmed key parameters for its X-DF-A ammonia-fuelled engine design following full-load testing at its Engine Research and Innovation Centre in Winterthur, Switzerland, according to the company's release.
The performance and emission measurements provide assurance as the first users prepare their vessels and auxiliary systems for ammonia fuel.
The tests validate engine performance data published in WinGD’s General Technical Data (GTD) software, available online and guaranteed to customers, showing that operation on ammonia achieves the same thermal efficiency as diesel fuel, with pilot oil consumption at 5% of overall fuel consumption at full load.
Emissions data indicates ammonia emissions below 10ppm, N2O below 3ppm, and NOx emissions well below those from diesel use, achieved without exhaust gas after-treatment, confirming no ammonia slip catalyst (ASC) is needed.
WinGD Vice President Research & Development Sebastian Hensel stated, “Our well-structured development approach has paid off. 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.”
The company’s ammonia combustion investigations began in 2021, progressing through stages including the use of a proprietary full-scale Spray Combustion Chamber to observe combustion parameters under realistic two-stroke conditions, with performance predictions later confirmed during full-load testing.
The first engines are scheduled for delivery from mid-2025 for ammonia carriers owned by Exmar LPG and bulk carriers operated by CMB.Tech, deploying 52- and 72-bore engines to be built in Korea and China. These will be the first low-speed ammonia engines delivered for commercial ships, marking a new phase for the shipping industry.
WinGD has secured nearly 30 orders for X-DF-A engines across the bulk carrier, containership, tanker, and LPG/ammonia carrier segments.
WinGD, founded in 1893 as Sulzer Diesel Engine business and headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, is a subsidiary of CSSC, designing low-speed two-stroke engines with a focus on decarbonization, supporting over 2,000 vessels globally in 2024.
Exmar LPG, a joint venture of Exmar and Seapeak, established in 2015 and based in Antwerp, Belgium, operates a fleet of 30 gas carriers, including four ammonia carriers set to receive WinGD engines in 2025.
CMB.Tech, based in Antwerp, Belgium, and founded in 2018 as a division of CMB, focuses on green shipping technologies, operating 100 vessels.