The first Japanese developed and manufactured commercial unit of a large, low-speed, two-stroke engine started co-firing operation with ammonia, a zero-emission fuel for next-generation ships

Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) is developing a large, low-speed, ammonia-fueled 2-stroke engine under the “Green Innovation Fund Project: Next-generation Ship Development” of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). J-ENG has recently started ammonia-fueled co-firing operation of the first full-scale engine (the engine, 7UEC50LSJA-HPSCR, to be installed in an actual vessel).

Since May 2023, when J-ENG started the world's first ammonia co-firing operation of a large, low-speed, two-stroke engine in a test engine, J-ENG has obtained many 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 a year and a half. J-ENG will conduct verification operations on the full-scale engine and plans to ship the engine in October of this year. The engine will be installed on an Ammonia-Fueled Medium Gas Carrier (AFMGC) and then demonstration operations of the vessel will be carried out.

In order to accommodate a wide variety of ammonia-fueled vessels, J-ENG is also concurrently developing an ammonia-fueled engine with a cylinder bore of 60 cm, following the first engine (50 cm cylinder bore) mentioned above, for several promising follow-on projects.

Furthermore, after achieving the development and social implementation of these engines, we have 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 (in the product mix with fuel oil engines) and promote the spread and expansion of zero-emission ships. The new plant is scheduled for completion in 2028. 

J-ENG, as a first mover of next-generation fuel engines, will contribute to the development of the Japanese shipping and shipbuilding industries through the early launch and expansion of these engines, and at the same time, contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) in international shipping and the achievement of carbon neutrality by 2050.