‘Major shipowner’ goes on 16-engine spree for its LNG carrier octet

Swiss marine power company WinGD has received an order for 16 X-DF dual-fuel engines that are set to power eight liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers following a late-stage change of heart by what the firm says is a “major shipowner.”

While the order was placed relatively late in the newbuilding planning stage due to operational and delivery concerns relating to the engines originally selected, the Swiss player says there were no construction delays thanks to cooperation with the engine builder, yard, and shipowner.

“Although we aim to be the first choice, we were delighted to add to our orderbook from a significant customer. With the longest established low-pressure two-stroke engine in the market and strong relationships with engine builders and shipyards, we were well placed to pick up the process quickly once the owner decided to switch engine type,” noted WinGD’s Sales Director, Volkmar Galke. 

WinGD claims features such as intelligent control by exhaust recycling (iCER) and variable compression ratio (VCR) technology make the X‑DF engines more competitive than their high-pressure Diesel-cycle counterparts. 

According to the Swiss firm, X-DF2.0 engines with VCR, which can now be incorporated into most standard vessel designs, entail lower overall operating and system costs and emissions. Recent upgrades to the next generation of X-DF engines have made them a popular choice in the LNG carrier segment, the company notes.

The latest version, 2.2, uses a smaller bedplate and A-frame tailored to the five-cylinder models usually deployed on LNG carriers. The result is a smaller engine footprint and greater ship design flexibility while maintaining the same performance and efficiency within the engine ratings typically used.

Late last month, the engine developer scored new contracts for its ammonia-fueled X-DF-A engine design. These will be installed on seven 20,500 cbm and 41,000 cbm liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)/ammonia carriers ordered by Tianjin Southwest Shipping.