WinGD has completed the factory acceptance test (FAT) of its X72DF-A (ammonia) engine in China. The engine will be installed on a 210,000-DWT dry bulk carrier on order for CMB.Tech.
Testing of the X72DF-A engine was completed at CSSC Engine Co. (CSE), witnessed by Lloyd’s Register (LR) and representatives from classification societies American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and China Classification Society (CCS). The FAT certification joins the already received fuel ignition tuning (FIT) and type approval testing (TAT) approvals for the XDF-A platform.
Also read: Another FAT completed for WinGD’s ammonia engine
Bringing ammonia-fuelled technology to market
The 72-bore engine, built at CSE, with the fuel supply system manufactured by Sunrui Marine Environmental Engineering Co, is being installed on the first of ten bulkers on order for CMB.Tech. The order demonstrates industry confidence that large-scale commercial vessels can operate safely and efficiently on ammonia, paving the way for widespread adoption across the global fleet. This recent testing, of the X52DF-A and X72DF-A, underscores that this confidence is well-placed.
Dominik Schneiter, CEO, WinGD: ‘We’re proud to work closely with pioneering shipowners like CMB.Tech to build confidence in ammonia as a safe and efficient marine fuel for a zero-carbon future. The successful tests on our technology are the result of strong partnerships, where combined expertise enabled us to address the distinct challenges associated with bringing ammonia-fuelled technology to market.’
‘We started our journey on the development of the X72 DF-A with WinGD four years ago,’ adds Alexander Saverys, CEO of CMB.Tech. ‘Thanks to an excellent collaboration, we are able to deliver the first dual-fuel ammonia engines to our large bulk carriers. This is a very important step in the decarbonisation journey of shipping.’
Also read: WinGD lands first ethanol engine orders
High-pressure ammonia injection
The X-DF-A engine features high-pressure ammonia injection supplemented by a low, targeted pilot fuel dose of around five per cent at full load. The engine delivers load handling, dynamic response and fuel efficiency on par with WinGD’s equivalent diesel-fuelled X Engines in both ammonia and diesel operating modes.
Throughout a rigorous multi-year development and testing process, the XDF-A platform has proven to achieve over ninety per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in ammonia mode compared to diesel mode.
Also read: CMB.Tech to build ammonia-powered container ship
Forty ammonia engines on order
WinGD has secured an early orderbook of forty X-DF-A engines for a range of vessel types, underlining increasing market readiness for ammonia propulsion.
Picture: WinGD has completed the factory acceptance test on the engine, which will be installed on a 210,000-DWT dry bulk carrier on order for CMB.Tech (photo by WinGD).
Also read: WinGD: Why VCR tech is a practical retrofit solution
