Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., a unit of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, on June 2 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to undertake technical studies on an ammonia fuel supply system for large, low-speed, two-stroke marine engines under development by Winterthur Gas & Diesel AG (WinGD), a Swiss designer of marine engines.
The project will see WinGD applying its X-DF-A ammonia-fueled engines to a range of vessel designs and sizes, with Mitsubishi both designing the vessels and completing the fuel chain with its ammonia fuel supply system. Both companies said the MOU reflects their desire to contribute to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) decarbonization target for GHG emissions.
“This collaboration will give both Mitsubishi and WinGD an important first-mover advantage in using ammonia in marine engines to meet IMO decarbonization targets,” said Manabu Kawakado, Head of Marine Engineering at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding. “It will set the path for the new generation of technology applicable to a wide range of vessels over the next decades.”
The project will commence in the third quarter of 2023, according to the MOU, with a timeline that could place vessels in service by 2027.
“This project will allow WinGD and Mitsubishi to make further progress in bringing ammonia-fueled capability to merchant vessels within our established future fuel development timeframe,” said Dominik Schneiter, Vice President, R&D, at WinGD. “It is a timely opportunity to apply X-DF-A engines across a wider range of bore sizes. Our aim is to develop the applicability of these engines and their critical fuel elements across multiple vessel types, while upholding the highest standards for environmental impact and for the safety of the crew on board.”