Marine Engines News

NorthStandard has published a new white paper focusing on the accelerating adoption of biofuels in commercial shipping. ‘Biofuels – Driving the green transition’ brings together insights from NorthStandard, supplier World Fuel and leading testing agency Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS), in a unique discussion document outlining biofuel uptake, potential issues and loss prevention measures. Many owner-operators who seek a drop-in solution to drive maritime decarbonization choose biofuel blends.

A research-engine test bench at Everllence’s Augsburg site has been upgraded to enable hydrogen combustion.The new development occurred under the umbrella of the HydroPoLEn project, an Everllence partnership with industry leaders and research institutes. The project is supported by funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy within the framework of the Maritime Research Programme.HydroPoLEn is focused on creating sustainable propulsion solutions for the maritime sector, addressing the urgent need for environmentally-friendly technologies in global shipping.

Everllence and Vale – one of the world’s leading producers of iron ore, copper and nickel, and one of the largest logistics operators in Brazil – have signed a cooperation agreement regarding the development of ethanol as a marine fuel.Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will develop an advanced ethanol-powered engine – based on the Everllence B&W ME-LGI (-Liquid Gas Injection) platform – designed to provide a sustainable and viable alternative to conventional fossil…

Yanmar Power Solutions has acquired a site in Amagasaki City, Japan, to conduct test runs of marine hydrogen engines.The company says it will develop and build powertrains that can be used with next-generation fuels such as hydrogen, methanol, and ammonia, at the new facility.The complex will enable the company to reorganize its production system, including existing factories, and strengthen its capabilities. It is scheduled to begin operations around March 2029.

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply its Wärtsilä 25 ammonia solution to power a new cargo vessel for Norway-based Skarv Shipping Solutions, marking the first newbuild to use the company’s four-stroke ammonia engine technology.The vessel will be constructed at Huanghai shipyard in China and is intended to support Skarv Shipping Solutions’ strategy to deliver sustainable short-sea shipping services in Northern Europe.Wärtsilä will provide the Wärtsilä 25 Ammonia engine together with the complete fuel gas supply system and exhaust after-treatment…

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Engine & Machinery (HHI-EMD) has successfully verified that its HiMSEN engine can operate stably on ethanol fuel.The company conducted the tests on its 4-stroke methanol dual-fuel engine platform (H32DF-LM) and confirmed that stable operation at all load points is possible. The test focused on verifying startability, combustion stability, power output stability, and exhaust gas characteristics under fuel property differences, while maintaining the existing methanol engine hardware as much as possible.Ethanol…

Newlight has completed Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) for its hydrogen retrofit package for two- and four-stroke main engines.The system allows existing diesel engines to operate on a blend of hydrogen and conventional fuel, reducing carbon emissions without the need to replace the entire engine.Designed and built to the International Code of Safety for Ship Using Gases or Other Low Flashpoint Fuels Code (IGF Code) and validated to RINA Class Rules for hydrogen fueled ships…

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., Yanmar Power Solutions Co., Ltd. and Japan Engine Corporation announced they have successfully conducted the world’s first land-based operation of marine hydrogen engines. The demonstration took place at Japan Engine’s headquarters factory, where a newly installed liquefied hydrogen fuel supply system was utilized.The project is a part of Green Innovation Fund Projects / “Next-Generation Ship Development” of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)…

Technology group Wärtsilä and TMS Cardiff Gas have renewed their existing Lifecycle Agreement, covering the two-stroke main engines onboard seven LNG Carrier vessels, for a further five years.The agreement is designed to ensure the vessels’ maximum operational reliability by enabling flexible maintenance scheduling and optimizing time between overhauls (TBO).The seven vessels each operate with two WinGD 5X72DF dual-fuel two stroke engines and Wärtsilä gas valve units.The scope of the agreement includes Wärtsilä’s Dynamic Maintenance Planning service…

Swiss marine power company WinGD will offer the first ethanol-fueled two-stroke marine engine next year, with deliveries for newbuild and retrofit applications starting in 2027.The announcement follows a decade of investigation into ethanol fuel, including full-scale engine tests in 2018, and the successful launch of a methanol-fueled engine that uses the same combustion concept and is subject to the same safety regulations as the new ethanol engine.The new engine will be adapted from the X DF-M methanol-fueled engine…

Höegh Autoliners has placed an order for four ammonia-burning Everllence B&W 7S60ME-LGIA (Liquid Gas Injection Ammonia) dual-fuel engines for four 9,100 CEU Aurora-class pure car truck carriers (PCTCs).The vessels will be the first in the PCTC segment to receive DNV’s ammonia-ready and methanol-ready notations.Everllence views the order as signalling a new era for clean propulsion within global shipping. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. will build the engines in South Korea.Bjarne Foldager – Head of Two-Stroke Business – Everllence…

A consortium, led by MAN Energy Solutions, has been formed to deliver  the NH3 Spark – FutureFlex project, which aims to develop a dual-fuel, four-stroke GenSet capable of operating purely on ammonia without the need for a pilot fuel, marking a first for a commercial, industrial engine.Sponsored by the Danish State initiative, the EUDP (Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Programme), the project brings together a consortium led by MAN Energy Solutions’ Holeby site along with the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Skovgaard Energy…

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Equipment (MHI-MME) has begun demonstration testing of a methane oxidation catalyst system for LNG-fueled marine vessels which is being jointly developed with Daihatsu Infinearth Mfg.Methane oxidation is a chemical reaction in which methane (CH4) is converted into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) through reaction with oxygen. The system’s purpose is to reduce methane slip – the release of unburnt methane in the exhaust gas of marine engines.The demonstration test…

MAN Energy Solutions has announced the successful Type Approval Test (TAT) of its dual-fuel MAN L35/44DF engine for application as auxiliary Genset and electric propulsion at constant speeds, respectively, of 720 and 750rpm.The TAT involved the testing of both 35/44DF variants, namely the methane-capable 35/44DF CD and the methanol-ready 35/44CD.Testing took place from April 7 – 11 at the Changwon headquarters of STX Engine in South Korea with the participation of six classification societies.The L35/44DF CD engine is an upgraded version of the L35/44DF CR engine, first launched in 2015.

The Royal Niestern Sander shipyard in the Netherlands has ordered 2 × MAN 16V175D MEM engines (2,400 kWm/1,800 rpm) in connection with the building of an MPV (Multi-Purpose Vessel) vessel – ‘Easymax 5’ – for Dutch outfit, Wagenborg Operator.The engines will be employed as gensets for power generation aboard the purpose-built CO2 carrier, which will be employed in the offshore, substrate storage of CO2.The vessel will be the fifth under the EasyMax concept jointly developed by Wagenborg and Niestern Sander with a cargo capacity of 14,000 tons.

AAM Towage and Caterpillar Marine signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to evaluate and implement alternative power solutions to diesel, including electrification and alternative fuels such as methanol and ethanol, for the tug fleet.Both companies are already working on a dual-fuel engine—the Cat® 3500E—which will use methanol and is expected to begin testing this year.SAAM Towage is active in towage and marine services at more than 90 ports in 13 countries in the Americas.

Technology group Wärtsilä has been selected to supply replacement engines for two inland waterway tug pusher vessels operating in Paraguayan rivers.The vessels are owned by ADM Naviera Chaco (ADM). The vessel modifications and new engine installations will be carried out in Asuncion-Paraguay.The new engines will enable a reduction of the environmental impact and increase the efficiency of the tug pushers.ADM’s stated target is to reduce emissions by 25% by 2035, and the advanced…

WinGD reports it has confirmed key parameters for its X-DF-A ammonia-fueled engine design after full-load testing at its Engine Research and Innovation Centre in Winterthur in Switzerland.The performance and emission measurements deliver timely assurance as the first users prepare their vessels and auxiliary systems for ammonia fuel.The tests confirm engine performance data that WinGD has published in its General Technical Data (GTD) software, available online, and guaranteed to customers.Operation on ammonia achieved the same thermal efficiency as for diesel fuel…

Swiss marine power company WinGD’s first methanol-fueled engine is to be delivered to shipyard after passing factory and type approval tests, ahead of installation in 16,000 TEU container ship.The ten-cylinder, 92 bore X-DF-M engine is said to be the biggest methanol-fueled engine built to date.There are 56 X-DF-M engines on order across bore sizes ranging from 52 to 92, in similar cylinder configurations and engine rating fields as diesel-fueled X-Engines.The addition of methanol…

Swiss marine power company WinGD has conducted early testing of its new X-DF-A ammonia-fueled engine design, proving that the key parameters are in line with expectations.A 52-bore single-cylinder version of the X-DF-A engine is running at the company’s Engine Research and Innovation Centre (ERIC) in Winterthur, with final validation to be completed in time for the first engine deliveries in June 2025.Single-cylinder testing will allow rapid validation of the ammonia combustion system under engine conditions…

Swiss marine power company WinGD has received an order for 16 X-DF dual-fuel engines for eight liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, after a late-stage switch by a major ship owner.The order was received relatively late in the newbuilding planning phase as operational and delivery concerns arose around the engines originally selected, according to WinGD.Despite the timing, close collaboration with engine builder, yard and shipowner – which already uses X-DF engines on several…

As the industry shifts towards alternative fuels in response to environmental regulations and sustainability goals, the safety risks associated with these fuels cannot be overlooked, says the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS). Crankcase explosions, a critical hazard in engine operation, becomes even more concerning in the context of gas and low flashpoint fuels. IACS has therefore published the latest edition of Unified Requirement (UR) M10, which introduces…

Vessel owners are making new fuel choices, but increasingly, they have options to help reduce the risk of doing so.The latest engine developments aim to make it easier for owners to avoid the chicken-and-egg fuel price and availability risks of new fuels.As Roger Holm, President of Wärtsilä Marine and Executive Vice President at Wärtsilä Corporation recently pointed out, the challenge is that owners won’t commit to a fuel today that is expensive, only produced in small quantities and may be usurped by another fuel that scales faster and more affordably.