Swiss marine power company WinGD and Belgian shipping and cleantech group CMB.TECH have signed an agreement on the development of ammonia-fueled two-stroke engines. The companies aim to install the ammonia dual-fuel X72DF engine on a series of ten x 210,000 DWT bulk carriers to be built at a Chinese shipyard in 2025 and 2026.

Current X72DF engines are available in 5-cylinder up to 8-cylinder configuration, covering a power range from 10,400 to 25,800kW at 69 to 89rpm.

X72DF

Under this joint development project, CMB.TECH will support WinGD in establishing its ammonia-fueled engine concept for a large bore engine. CMB.TECH has significant insight into alternative fuels and builds, designs, owns and operates large marine and industrial applications that run on hydrogen and ammonia.

Both WinGD and CMB.TECH believe that ammonia will play a significant role in the decarbonization of the maritime industry. The series of large bulk carriers powered by WinGD’s ammonia engines will be the first of its kind and demonstrate that large sea-going vessels can be powered by zero-carbon fuels.

We believe that ammonia is the most promising zero-carbon fuel for deep sea vessels. Our intention is to have dual-fuel ammonia-diesel engines on our dry bulk vessels, container vessels and chemical tankers. Collaborating with WinGD on the development of the first ammonia-fueled two-stroke engines for our fleet is a pioneering partnership on the road to zero emissions in shipping.

—Alexander Saverys, CMB CEO

This project is a significant step in accelerating our ammonia technology roadmap for a zero-carbon future. Having CMB.TECH’s input into the engine development will be invaluable given their alternative fuel expertise and their ship operator’s perspective on how an engine concept is implemented and ultimately operated. The project is an opportunity to widen the roll-out of ammonia technology across our portfolio, in line with our previously stated timeframe of introducing the first engine concept in 2025.

—Klaus Heim, WinGD CEO

These newest engines in WinGD’s X-DF portfolio will add ammonia capability to the proven technology of WinGD’s X engines. They will be based on the X92-B engine, the market-leading fuel efficiency of which makes it an ideal starting point for developing large-bore ammonia-fueled engines.

X92-B

Available in 6 to 12 cylinder configuration, the WinGD X92-B covers a power range from 24,420 to 77,400kW at 70 to 80rpm with an improved BSFC. The X92-B engines hav been designed to allow a later conversion to a X92DF to use LNG as fuel. The DF-ready engines can be converted to dual-fuel, as no major structural components need to be modified.

The development project with CMB.TECH is one of several projects WinGD is carrying out with shipowners and engine builders to ensure that dual-fuel ammonia two-stroke engines will be available as the global fleet prepares to adopt green fuels to meet long-term decarbonisation targets.