Mitsui E&S starts ammonia engine testing

The MAN B&W 7S60ME-LGIA Mk 10.5 prototype engine, designed to run on ammonia fuel, has entered its test run at Mitsui E&S’s Tamano Factory in Japan.

“The use of ammonia, which can achieve carbon-neutral combustion when bio-fuel oil is used as pilot oil, is a significant milestone on the path towards decarbonisation, especially in the maritime industry where reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a pressing issue,” said Bjarne Foldager – head of two-stroke business – MAN Energy Solutions.

“To date, MAN Energy Solutions has secured several ammonia engine orders throughout Asia and we are confident that ammonia will comprise one of the three major alternative fuels on the market alongside methanol and methane.”

The project, a collaboration between K Line, NS United, and ITOCHU Corp, will see a 60-bore engine installed aboard a 200,000-dwt bulk carrier currently under construction at Imabari Shipbuilding.

In addition to its ammonia-fuel capabilities, the engine is equipped with MAN Energy Solutions’ proprietary high pressure selective catalytic reduction system, ensuring compliance with the IMO Tier III emissions standards.

The test phase will not only assess the performance of the engine but will also verify the safety and efficiency of Mitsui E&S’s ammonia fuel-supply system, along with other associated peripheral systems.

“Mitsui E&S’s test builds on the results of comprehensive single-cylinder ammonia-fuel tests conducted at our Research Centre Copenhagen and it is exciting to see this project draw closer to commercial fruition,” said Ole Pyndt Hansen, head of two-stroke R&D, MAN Energy Solutions.

“Operational experience at sea will be key to fine-tuning the engine’s performance and reliability, and thus its market introduction will be subject to a positive service experience.

“We expect a market introduction of our 50-, 60-, 70- and 80-bore ME-LGIA ammonia engines by the end of 2026, but the exact timing will be subject to the respective shipbuilding schedules.”