China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s subsidiary, WinGD (Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd.), has recently achieved another major milestone in the field of ammonia-fueled low-carbon shipping. The X72DF-A engine has successfully passed the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT). This engine will be installed on a 210,000 deadweight tonnage dry bulk carrier currently under construction for CMB.TECH.
This test was completed at China Shipbuilding Engine Co., Ltd. (CSE) and witnessed by representatives from Lloyd’s Register, the American Bureau of Shipping, and the China Classification Society. This FAT certification, together with the previously obtained FIT and TAT approvals, constitutes the complete testing and verification system for the X-DF-A platform.
Built by CSE, with the fuel supply system provided by Shandong Shuangrui Marine Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd., this engine will be installed on the first of ten bulk carriers ordered by CMB.TECH. This order indicates that industry confidence in the safe and efficient operation of ammonia fuel on large commercial vessels is continuously strengthening, also laying the foundation for the widespread adoption of ammonia fuel in the global fleet. The latest test results for the X52DF-A and X72DF-A fully confirm that this confidence is well-founded.
WinGD CEO Dominik Schneiter stated: “We are honored to work closely with pioneering shipowners like CMB.TECH to jointly build confidence in ammonia fuel as a safe and efficient marine energy source for a zero-carbon future. The success of the technical tests stems from the strong collaboration of all parties—it is this synergy that allows us to overcome the various challenges in the commercialization of ammonia fuel technology.”
CMB.TECH CEO Alexander Saverys stated: “Four years ago, we embarked on the R&D journey of the X72DF-A together with WinGD. Thanks to the close cooperation between both parties, we are able to deliver the first dual-fuel ammonia propulsion main engines to large bulk carriers. This is an extremely important step in the decarbonization process of the shipping industry.”
CSE Chief Engineer Zhang Guangwei stated: “Bringing a new engine to commercialization has always been the result of joint efforts by the engine and ship design parties, the engine manufacturer, the shipyard, and the shipowner. CSE is honored to be the first manufacturer in China to deliver the largest ammonia-fueled main engine to the shipping market to date, and to take the lead in this growing market as the application of ammonia fuel becomes increasingly widespread.”
The X-DF-A engine adopts high-pressure ammonia direct injection technology, with a pilot fuel consumption of approximately 5% at rated load. Its load response, dynamic performance, and fuel efficiency are comparable to WinGD’s same-specification diesel X-series main engines in both ammonia and diesel modes. After years of rigorous R&D and testing verification, the X-DF-A platform reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 90% in ammonia mode compared to diesel mode.
Currently, WinGD has received early orders for 40 X-DF-A engines, covering various ship types, fully demonstrating the market’s growing recognition of ammonia propulsion technology, and providing shipowners with more options to cope with evolving regulatory requirements and market demands as they move towards net-zero emission targets.
