WinGD Targets 2025 Delivery for First Ammonia-Fueled Ship Engine

Swiss marine power company WinGD says it is set to deliver its first dual-fuel ammonia engines in early 2025, paving the way the first ammonia-powered ships to enter service from 2026.

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

The confirmation from WinGD follows successful tests at its research facilities in December 2022, as well as “concrete orders” and “rapid progress” in developing an engine concept capable of using zero-carbon fuel efficiently and safely.

WinGD has partnered with AET Tankers and sister company Akademi Laut Malaysia to develop crew training on ammonia engines. In January, it announced a partnership with CMB.Tech, a sister company of Belgian shipowner CMB, to develop ammonia-fuelled engines for ten 210,000 DWT bulk carriers.

WinGD has collaborated with engine and shipbuilders in China, Japan, and Korea to develop its dual-fuel ammonia (X-DF-A) engine. The company has signed an MOU with Mitsubishi Shipbuilding to prepare the engine for use across various vessel sizes and integrate it with the ammonia fuel supply system. Safety aspects related to installation and ammonia supply have been tested on single- and multi-cylinder engines..

“For the industry to be truly ready for alternative fuels, the engine concepts that use them – and the vessel designs, auxiliary systems, crew training and field support network – need to be ready before the fuels become widely available,” said WinGD CEO Dominik Schneiter. “Our development timeframe, as evidenced by these milestones in research and collaboration, shows that we are on track to give shipowners and operators the time they need to prepare for decarbonised ship power using ammonia as fuel.”

The announcement from WinGD comes a week after rival MAN Energy Solutions announced the successful first test of a two-stroke marine engine using ammonia fuel, marking a major milestone in the development of a full-scale ammonia ship engine. MAN ES is aiming to have its first ammonia engine in use on a commercial vessel by 2026.

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