World's First Ammonia-Powered Ship Engine Unveiled

World’s First Ammonia-Powered Ship Engine Unveiled

The world’s first industrial ship engine powered by ammonia has been unveiled in Japan. The engine, which is able to enter service in 2026, is about to revolutionize maritime transport by decreasing greenhouse fuel emissions by over 90%.

Japan has launched the primary industrial ammonia engine that’s poised to revolutionize maritime transport. Developed by Japan Engine Company (J-ENG), the engine will likely be utilized in a cargo ship scheduled to enter service in 2026.

A Twin-Gas Revolution

On August 30, Kobe-based Japan Engine Company (J-ENG) introduced the world’s first commercial-scale, ammonia-powered ship engine. The engine, coded 7UEC50LSJA-HPSCR, is a notable dual-fuel design, able to working on each ammonia and heavy gas oil (HFO). This characteristic is meant to facilitate the transition from fossil fuels to renewable power.

The engine has a 50-centimeter diameter, seven cylinders, and a high-pressure Selective Catalytic Discount (SCR) system. This method makes use of catalysts and ammonia-based decreasing brokers, akin to urea, to cut back nitrogen emissions.

Set to Sail in 2026

Based on J-ENG, the engine was examined below the supervision of main trade firms like NYK Line, Nihon Shipyard, and Japan Marine United Company. ClassNK, the world’s largest maritime classification society, formally licensed the engine for each its environmental efficiency and operational security.

The engine will likely be shipped in October 2025 and put in in a medium-sized ammonia-fueled fuel provider (AFMGC) at the moment below development on the JMU Ariake Shipyard. When the vessel begins its industrial voyages in 2026, it will likely be the world’s first full-scale industrial ship with an ammonia engine.

Previous to this achievement, the corporate carried out over 1,000 hours of single-cylinder ammonia prototype testing on the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries R&D heart in Nagasaki between 2023 and 2024. Full-scale engine exams had been carried out this 12 months.

Check outcomes confirmed that even when working on a excessive proportion of ammonia, the engine achieved near-zero emission ranges. Greenhouse fuel emissions had been diminished by over 90%, whereas nitrogen oxide emissions had been reduce by half in comparison with typical engines. Unburned ammonia was virtually utterly eradicated, and thermal effectivity was equal to, and in some instances even larger than, heavy gas oil techniques. J-ENG additionally plans to develop a brand new 60 cm diameter ammonia engine to fulfill rising demand, with a goal service date of 2028.