• 09 Jul 2018

The Swiss company Winterthur Gas & Diesel (WinGD), which continues the long tradition of the Sulzer Diesel Engine business founded in 1893, said it has hit a milestone with the 100th order for its X-Dual  Fuel engine placed by the Monaco-based shipper GasLog.  

WinGD introduced the X-Dual F engine series in 2013. Dual-fuel engines, using gas admitted at low pressure and ignited by a low volume of liquid pilot fuel was a breakthrough in the marine industry.

Nowdays, the X-DF engines offer new marine standards with low-pressure gas technology. Low-pressure X-DF technology is based on the lean-burn Otto-cycle combustion principle, in which fuel and air are premixed and burned at a relatively high air-to-fuel ratio; a concept already used widely on medium-speed engines.

GasLog's consolidated owned fleet consists of 29 LNG carriers (25 ships on the water and 4 on order), with eight LNG carriers equipped each with 2x 5X72DF. For their latest order of additional tonnage at Samsung Heavy Industries in Korea, the same machinery has been selected, WinGD said in its statement.

“If ever there was confirmation that the shipping industry is embracing LNG as the first choice for IMO compliant engines, the 100th ordered WinGD X-DF, dual-fuel engine is proof. With over 12,000 running hours logged on the first WinGD DF engine in operation (Terntank’s Ternsund) and over 100,000 running hours accumulated for the full X-DF engine fleet with 13 vessels at sea, the performance, benefits, and reliability of WinGD’s low-pressure technology is proven.” says Rolf Stiefel, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at WinGD.

“Achieving the 100th X-DF engine milestone in July 2018, after only five years, validates that customers such as shipyards, vessel owners, and operators have recognised its unique benefits. Beside its leading position in the LNG Carrier market today, X-DF is gaining ground for future Tankers and Containers to ensure that newbuilds are built to meet 2020 regulations in the most economical way.”

“The 2017 decision by CMA CGM, to power their nine ‘mega’ containerships to be built by CSSC shipyards in China with delivery in early 2020, with our 12-cylinder X92DF engines, is a strong statement that greener shipping can be achieved best by applying X-DF main propulsion engines”, added Stiefel.

Source:  Winterthur Gas & Diesel