WinGD and Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Team Up on Ammonia-Fueled Vessels

Swiss marine power company WinGD and Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Shipbuilding have signed a memorandum of understanding for a partnership on ammonia-fueled vessels.

The project will see WinGD applying its X-DF-A ammonia-fueled engines to a range of vessel designs, with Mitsubishi both designing the vessels and completing the fuel chain with its ammonia fuel supply system (AFSS).

Green ammonia has emerged as a promising alternative fuel to help the maritime industry reduce its carbon emissions.

“This collaboration will give both Mitsubishi and WinGD an important first-mover advantage in using ammonia in marine engines to meet IMO decarbonisation targets. It will set the path for the new generation of technology applicable to a wide range of vessels over the next decades,” said Manabu Kawakado, Head of Marine Engineering Centre at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding.

Under the partnership, WinGD will develop X-DF-A engines of various sizes, providing Mitsubishi with the specifications for installing the engines and the requirements for all auxiliary fuel systems. Mitsubishi will design the vessels, set performance parameters for the engines, and further develop its existing AFSS for use with WinGD’s ammonia engines.

This project will allow WinGD and Mitsubishi to make further progress in bringing ammonia-fuelled capability to merchant vessels within our established future fuel development timeframe,” said Dominik Schneiter, Vice President R&D at WinGD. “It is a timely opportunity to apply X-DF-A engines across a wider range of bore sizes. Our aim is to develop the applicability of these engines and their critical fuel elements across multiple vessel types, while upholding the highest standards for environmental impact and for the safety of the crew on board.”

The project will commence in the third quarter of 2023, with a timeline considered that could place vessels in service by 2027.

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