Höegh Autoliners Orders First Ammonia Engines for PCTCs
Höegh Autoliners has placed an order for four ammonia-burning Everllence B&W 7S60ME-LGIA (Liquid Gas Injection Ammonia) dual-fuel engines for four 9,100 CEU Aurora-class pure car truck carriers (PCTCs).
The vessels will be the first in the PCTC segment to receive DNV’s ammonia-ready and methanol-ready notations.
Everllence views the order as signalling a new era for clean propulsion within global shipping. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. will build the engines in South Korea.
Bjarne Foldager – Head of Two-Stroke Business – Everllence, said: “This order – one of several ammonia pilot-projects we have in China, Japan and South Korea – gives us encouragement that we are on the right path, as does the widespread industry interest in our progress. We have adopted a responsible, safety-first approach to developing this engine on account of ammonia’s particular risk-profile, and are confident that ammonia will ultimately become one of three major, alternative fuels in the market along with methanol and methane.”
Christian Ludwig – Head of Two-Stroke Sales and Promotion – Everllence, said: “We have now been running our two-stroke ammonia test engine since 2023 and can confirm that the ME-LGIA’s combustion is right where we want it. Using the Diesel principle, the ME-LGIA engine concept has many of the same merits as our existing dual-fuel engines that already entered operation over a decade ago. Inspired by these engines, we are – among other innovations – using the same sealing-oil design for the fuel-booster injection valves as this has proven to be particularly important and efficient.
"By end-2026, we tentatively expect to have a small number of demonstration projects on the water to enable a commercial market introduction of the G50-, S60-, G60-, G70- and G80-bore ME-LGIA engines based on positive service experience.”