WinGD completes factory testing for ammonia-fuelled two-stroke marine engine

WinGD has completed another Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) for its ammonia-fuelled two-stroke marine engine platform, advancing the commercial development of ammonia propulsion technology for shipping.

The latest testing involved the X52DF-A-1.0 engine, manufactured by Yuchai Marine Power Co. (YCMP), and was carried out in April 2026 under the supervision of China Classification Society.

The FAT follows earlier milestones achieved this year, including Type Approval Testing (TAT) and the first FAT for WinGD’s ammonia engine platform in South Korea.

Engine destined for ammonia carrier project

The tested engine will be installed on the first of four LPG/ammonia carriers being built by CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding for Tianjin Southwest Maritime.

The 52-bore engine is intended for a 25,000 cubic metre LPG/ammonia carrier and forms part of wider efforts to introduce ammonia-fuelled propulsion systems into commercial shipping.

According to WinGD, the testing programme demonstrated stable engine operation and emissions performance under ammonia fuel conditions. The company stated that nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions during ammonia operation were significantly lower than those associated with conventional fuels, while nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions remained limited.

Peter Krähenbühl, Vice President Product Center at WinGD, said:

“The successful completion of Factory Acceptance Testing in China provides further validation of our X-DF-A platform across key performance and safety parameters. The results demonstrate continued progress in the development and validation of ammonia-fuelled engine technology.”

He added:

“Bringing ammonia propulsion into commercial service depends on close cooperation across the maritime value chain, particularly between engine designers and engine builders. Working closely with partners such as YCMP allows us to translate development progress into reliable manufacturing and testing outcomes, supporting the safe and efficient deployment of ammonia-fuelled propulsion technologies.”

Growing ammonia engine orderbook

WinGD said confidence in ammonia as a future marine fuel continues to increase, with more than 30 X-DF-A engines currently on order across vessel categories including gas carriers, bulk carriers, tankers and container ships.

The X-DF-A platform uses high-pressure ammonia injection combined with a pilot fuel requirement of around 5% at full engine load. According to the company, the system is designed to provide operational characteristics comparable to conventional diesel-fuelled engines while enabling lower greenhouse gas emissions.