Marine engine manufacturer Hanwha Engine, part of South Korea’s Hanwha Group, and Swiss marine power company WinGD have marked the production of what is claimed to be the world’s first engine of its kind for installation on liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers.
As disclosed by WinGD, the X72DF-2.2 VCR engine equipped with its Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) technology developed for ships using both LNG and diesel fuel passed its first factory acceptance test.
It will be installed on an LNG carrier being built by Samsung Heavy Industries for what Hanwha says is a major global initiative in LNG transportation.
Peter Krähenbühl , Vice President Product Centre at WinGD, noted: “Our VCR technology optimises fuel efficiency, reduces emissions and leads to a significant cut in methane slip, making a material impact on a ship’s carbon intensity and operating costs. With new emissions deadlines looming, our customers clearly see real value in this innovation, with over 160 orders already placed for VCR technology engines.”
This was confirmed by Hanwha Engine’s CEO, Moonghee Yu , who attended the ceremony celebrating the achievement at Hanwha’s headquarters in Changwon on August 29, along with other stakeholders from the shipbuilding and shipping industries. Yu noted that his company has secured orders for 70 VCR-applied engines valued at $500 million.
“The world’s first production of an X72DF-2.2 VCR engine for an LNG carrier is not merely a technical achievement, but a milestone accelerating the shipbuilding industry’s transition towards environmental sustainability,” said Yu.
While compression ratio has traditionally been a fixed design point, WinGD has found a way to make it adjustable. As described, VCR technology allows compression to be adapted to the fuel in use at a given moment, improving fuel consumption and reducing methane emissions .
This next-generation low-emission engine technology is said to maximize fuel efficiency, with Hanwha claiming that it has the potential to reduce methane slip by 30% to 50% compared to existing systems.
As part of South Korea’s commitment to supporting the growth of the U.S. shipbuilding industry through a $150 billion investment fund , Hanwha recently announced a $5 billion infrastructure plan for its Philly Shipyard.
This includes the order of a second LNG carrier to be built at the U.S. shipyard, following the announcement of the construction of its predecessor in July. This is said to be the first U.S.-ordered, export-market-viable LNG carrier in almost 50 years.