Japan Engine Corporation (J-Eng) has recently started ammonia-fuelled co-firing operation of the first full-scale engine to be developed under the ‘Green Innovation Fund Project: Next-generation Ship Development’ of Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
The engine, designated type 7UEC50LSJA-HPSCR, is to be installed in an actual vessel. In May 2023, J-Eng started what it believed to be the world’s first ammonia co-firing operation of a low-speed, two-stroke engine in a test engine. Since then, J-Eng has obtained results and knowledge, including stable operation at high ammonia co-firing rates and safe handling of ammonia, through various test operations over a period of about 18 months. J-Eng will now conduct verification operations on the full-scale engine and plans to ship the engine in October 2025. The engine will be installed on an ammonia-fuelled medium gas carrier (AFMGC) and then demonstration operations of the vessel will be carried out.
In order to accommodate a wide variety of ammonia-fuelled vessels, J-Eng is concurrently developing a larger ammonia-fuelled engine with a cylinder bore of 60cm, following the above first engine (50cm cylinder bore) for several promising follow-on projects.
Following development and implementation of these engines, J-Eng has decided to construct a new plant with the support of a subsidy project by the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism through the GX Economic Transition Bonds in order to expand the production of ammonia fuel engines (as well as oil-fuelled engines) in order to promote the spread and expansion of zero-emission ships. The new plant is scheduled for completion in 2028.
Image: Ammonia-fuelled 7UEC50LSJA-HPSCR engine (source: Japan Engine Corporation)
