In a significant stride towards sustainable maritime solutions, Swiss marine power company WinGD is set to dominate the dual-fuel engine market for LNG carriers in the second phase of QatarEnergy’s ambitious newbuilding project. With nearly half of the orders in the second round confirming their engine and technical specifications, WinGD’s revolutionary X-DF2.0 engines have emerged as the preferred choice for the majority of these vessels.
QatarEnergy, overseeing the long-term charters for the gas carriers, is on the verge of finalizing decisions on the remaining vessels. The early support for WinGD’s X-DF technologies stems from the success in the project’s initial phase, where shipowners, chartering to QatarEnergy, ordered 25 vessels powered by the low-pressure, dual-fuel two-stroke engines. The current projections suggest that this number will be surpassed in the upcoming second phase.
Volkmar Galke, Director Sales at WinGD, expressed confidence in the X-DF2.0 engines, saying, “QatarEnergy, shipyards, and owners were clear in their endorsement of X-DF in the last round of the project. We are confident that our latest efficiency technologies allow us to build on that success in the current round.” He emphasized how these advancements, including the Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) technology introduced last June, set WinGD apart, providing fuel and emissions savings in both gas and diesel modes.
The on-engine iCER technology, a compact combustion control solution, has also garnered attention, already being selected for some vessels in the ordering phase. WinGD’s X-DF engine, the longest-established low-pressure dual-fuel two-stroke engine, has accumulated over six million running hours since its introduction in 2016, with nearly 500 engines powering LNG carriers out of the 700 delivered and on order.
Recent internal evaluations by WinGD underscore the system-wide benefits of deploying X-DF technology. In a typical operating profile of a 174,000m3 LNG carrier, a configuration with two 5X72DF-2.2 engines with VCR outperformed other engine arrangements in terms of LNG consumption, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, electrical power demand, and fuel costs.
As the maritime industry continues its quest for sustainability, WinGD’s X-DF technology proves to be a frontrunner, offering not just efficiency but also environmental advantages, reinforcing its position as a key player in the evolving landscape of maritime propulsion.
