Wärtsilä to deliver ammonia fuel system for two Exmar medium-size gas carriers

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions will deliver the fuel supply system for two new gas carriers that will operate with ammonia fuel.

The ships are being built at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyards (HMD) in Korea for shipowner Exmar LPG, a joint venture between maritime and offshore solutions provider Exmar and liquefied natural gas vessels owner-operator Seapeak. These Exmar medium-sized gas carrier new-builds will reportedly be the first oceangoing vessels ever to be propelled by dual-fuel engines capable of operating with ammonia. The engines will be provided by WinGD.

The vessels are part of a four-ship series for which Wärtsilä has already been contracted to supply the cargo handling and fuel supply systems. All four vessels were originally ordered to operate on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as fuel. However, Exmar has since placed an order with Wärtsilä to convert the fuel systems on two vessels to be able to operate with ammonia. This order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q1, 2024.

Carl-Antoine Saverys, CEO of Exmar, said, “There is of course a challenge to be considered when making a first-ever operational decision such as this, requiring the latest technology. Wärtsilä has the experience and technical competence to minimize this risk, which is why they were selected as a key partner in this groundbreaking project.”

The full scope of Wärtsilä’s supply includes the liquid ammonia fuel supply system along with process engineering and dynamic simulation. The system is skid mounted with low- and high-pressure fuel pumps, controls for fuel pressure and temperature, and heat exchangers. Delivery to the yard is scheduled for 2025.

Stein Thoresen, head of marine sales at Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, commented, “We have had long and close cooperation with both HMD and Exmar and are proud to be part of this exciting project. When operating with ammonia fuel, the CO₂ emissions will be reduced by about 90%. This is fully in line with Wärtsilä’s strategy for enabling decarbonized shipping operations and is an endorsement of our capabilities to deliver futureproof systems capable of handling a new generation of marine fuels.”

Read more of the latest alternative fuel updates from the electric and hybrid marine technology industry, here.