Wärtsilä offers ammonia fuel supply system with retrofit option

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions' ammonia fuel supply system (AFSS) will be available for both newbuild and retrofit projects, enabling the adoption of ammonia as a marine fuel.

PHOTO: Wärtsilä

The system uses a combination of pumps and heat exchangers, to provide a stable fuel supply to the engine at a specified pressure and temperature.

Wärtsilä's fuel system can be retrofitted onto existing ships that plan to run on ammonia without necessitating a newbuild. Additionally, it can be installed on newbuilds undergoing construction.

According to Wärtsilä, the ammonia fuel supply system is suitable for ships carrying liquified gas, especially those trading ammonia as cargo, such as VLGC's and MGC's. It can also be installed as a self-standing fuel supply system on International Code of Safety (IGF)-coded vessels with either low- or high-pressure systems, or a combination of both. The IGF code is applicable to ships running on gas or low-flashpoint fuels. It provides a set of criteria for the arrangement of machinery, equipment and systems on vessels operating with these low-flashpoint fuels.

The system comes equipped with safety components, including the necessary purge gas treatment system, and a filtering system is installed upstream and embedded within the system to clean the fuel.

Wärtsilä has already received its first order for the system, which will be installed on two new gas carriers being built at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyards in South Korea. The vessels, which will operate using ammonia fuel, are due for delivery to the Exmar in 2026.

The fuel supply system contract was announced as part of an initial two-vessel order in October 2023.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

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