WinGD expects to deliver first ammonia dual-fuel engines in 2025

WinGD said on Tuesday it was on track to deliver its first X-DF-A dual-fuel ammonia engines by Q1 2025 following combustion tests in December 2022.

The Swiss marine power company said its ammonia dual-fuel engine development plans were backed by “concrete orders”.

Last month WinGD inked an agreement with AET Tankers and sister company Akademi Laut Malaysia to develop crew training on ammonia engines.

AET’s parent MISC is part of the Castor Initiative aimed at developing ammonia powered vessels by the middle of the decade. In April 2022 Lloyd’s Register (LR), Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and AET, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or the development and construction of two VLCCs which can be operated on zero-emission green ammonia.

Meanwhile in January this year WinGD 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 CEO Dominik Schneiter said: “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. “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.”