Exmar has taken delivery of MGC Antwerpen, the first oceangoing vessel powered by a dual-fuel ammonia engine. The vessel is capable of trading with close to zero emissions when using low-carbon ammonia fuel.
As a gas shipowner and infrastructure developer, Exmar is taking a significant step in low-carbon shipping with the delivery of the midsize gas carrier (MGC) Antwerpen.
Also read: WinGD’s first ammonia engine installed on Exmar vessels
Up to 90% emissions reduction
Developed in close collaboration with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, WinGD, Nord Gas Solutions (formerly Wärtsilä Gas Solutions), and Lloyd’s Register, Antwerpen is capable of carrying up to 46,000 m3 of ammonia or LPG.
It can operate with near-zero emissions when low-carbon ammonia fuel is used. The vessel meets and exceeds current IMO emissions reduction targets, reducing greenhouse gases by up to ninety per cent compared to conventional ships.
WinGD ammonia engine
The WinGD X-DF-A two-stroke engine installed features high-pressure ammonia injection supplemented by a low, targeted pilot fuel dose of around five per cent at full load. Type approval testing (TAT) and factory acceptance testing (FAT) were completed in January 2026 at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Engine & Machinery (HHI-EMD) facility in South Korea, witnessed by classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) and representatives from all major classification societies, under the supervision of Exmar.
The recent sea trials of the Antwerpen in South Korea confirmed that 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. With forty orders for the X-DF-A across multiple vessel segments, including gas and bulk carriers, tankers and container vessels, WinGD expects ammonia to play a significant role in the future fuel mix.
Also read: WinGD completes FAT of ammonia engine for bulk carrier
Safety measures
Operational safety has been a key focus throughout development, drawing on Exmar’s four decades of experience transporting ammonia and other liquefied gases. With comprehensive crew training, robust risk assessments, and input from leading partners and the Belgian administration, ammonia propulsion is now realised and regulatory frameworks are established for safe operations.
‘Ammonia propulsion is no longer theoretical — we are deploying it. Change comes through execution, not debate. This achievement reflects collective expertise and our commitment to drive sustainable shipping forward,’ says Carl-Antoine Saverys, CEO of Exmar Group.
Series of four
The newbuild is the first in a series of four ammonia dual-fuel midsize gas carriers, each named after a Belgian city. With the delivery of Antwerpen, Exmar continues its tradition of innovation and leadership in the maritime transport and handling of ammonia.
Picture by Exmar.
Also read: Wärtsilä supplies ammonia systems for two more Exmar vessels
