Swiss marine power company WinGD and Korean engine builder HSD Engine advance their work to jointly develop the largest engine size in WinGD’s portfolio for methanol fuel. The Korean built X92DF-M engine was confirmed as the focus of the joint development project which was originally signed in August of last year.
The 92cm-bore engine size is usually deployed in large and ultra-large containerships, where interest in methanol fuel is growing rapidly. At a meeting on March 8th in Switzerland, the partners laid out the next steps for the collaboration, continuing the close cooperation which has defined the project scope over the past year.
WinGD Vice President R&D Dominik Schneiter said: “Technology collaborations with global engine builders provide valuable customer-focused expertise which ensures that our designs prioritise customer value from the beginning. This project is another important step in our future fuel technology roadmap.”
Jong-Tae Choi, Vice President, Engineering & Technology, HSD Engine said: “We are pleased to enter the next phase of our collaboration with WinGD. Focusing on the X92DF-M engines will ensure that HSD Engine can provide its customers with methanol-fuelled engines at the size, efficiency, reliability and competitive cost that they expect, when they need them.”
WinGD will oversee combustion and injection concepts, exhaust aftertreatment requirements and engine detail design. HSD Engine will provide engine testing capabilities and deliver fuel supply and exhaust aftertreatment systems, as well as giving feedback on engine manufacturing and assembly expertise and know-how.
The project will help WinGD develop methanol-fuelled capability across the engine sizes most in demand from shipowners, with the first engines expected to be in service from 2025.