Skarv Shipping Opts for Wärtsilä’s Ammonia Solution for New Cargo Vessel
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, including selective catalytic reduction and ammonia release mitigation systems. The order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Ammonia is increasingly viewed as a key fuel option for maritime decarbonization, with Wärtsilä citing its analysis that fuel efficiency measures alone could cut shipping emissions by up to 27%, while sustainable fuels such as ammonia are required to address the remaining emissions in line with the International Maritime Organization’s net-zero targets.
Equipment deliveries for the vessel are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.
“Our aim is to prove that it is possible to renew the European short-sea fleet while making it more climate-friendly. That means implementing a whole array of technologies. We see ammonia as one of the future fuels and are happy to see strong European companies like Wärtsilä leading the push towards carbon-free propulsion.
“The Wärtsilä 25 Ammonia solution promises exactly what we are looking for: robust safety and environmental measures combined with advanced energy efficient technology,” said Jan Øivind Svardal, CEO – Skarv Shipping Solutions.
Wärtsilä said the integrated solution is designed with safety, efficiency and reliability as central principles and can reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90% when operated on sustainable ammonia compared with equivalent diesel engines, enabling compliance with both EU 2050 targets and the IMO’s 2040 ambitions.
“The Wärtsilä 25 Ammonia engine and the whole solution is the result of extensive research and testing over a number of years, in line with our commitment to decarbonising shipping operations.
“Through our focus on continuous improvement, we have developed the Wärtsilä 25 engine, along with our associated ammonia handling systems, to deliver outstanding levels of safety, efficiency, reliability and sustainability. This solution offers the marine industry a future-ready solution that is available today,” added Roger Holm, President of Wärtsilä Marine & Executive Vice President at Wärtsilä Corporation.
