WinGD targets mega container ships with new LNG dual-fuel engines
The Winterthur-based engine firm, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), is targeting the power-hungry ultra large container ship sector with its new high-pressure engines available from 2028.
Unveiled today at Marintec China 2025, the X-DF-HP engines will be available in X82 and X92 bore sizes and are specifically designed for the scale, speed and load requirements of the ULCS sector. The new propulsors will have improved fuel efficiency and lower emission profiles than other high-pressure engines available on the market today, and greater power density than low-pressure units, the company said.
The new engines will be fully compatible with LNG, bio-LNG, and e-LNG and will occupy a place in the company’s multi-fuel X-DF platform which includes ammonia, methanol and ethanol options. Existing WinGD X-series engines can be retrofitted for these fuels.
They provide ‘a future-proofed pathway’, the company said, by avoiding major mechanical changes to achieve compliance with new fuel options and regulations. They enable progressive decarbonisation using renewable methane blends and will meet FuelEU emission requirements until at least 2035.
With standard selective catalytic reduction systems, the engines will comply with IMO Tier III requirements in both gas and diesel modes. And, as the company points out, IMO regulations may be on a temporary pause for the moment but regional regulations are tightening steadily. Future-proofing some of the most capital-intensive ships of the future is essential.
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“Large container vessels present a unique propulsion challenge,” Benny Hilström, WinGD Vice President, Market Development, explained. “They demand immense power, exceptional efficiency and long-term fuel flexibility. With the X-DF-HP, we are providing operators with a purpose-built solution for the most power-hungry vessels, offering uncompromised, trouble-free propulsion.
Meanwhile, Hilström commented on the possibilities of engine upgrades for ships in service today. “Existing X-DF engines can be retrofitted with the latest generation of efficiency and emissions improving technology,” he told Seatrade Maritime News. “WinGD offers a robust suite of retrofit solutions, including upgrades such as intelligent control by exhaust recycling (iCER), variable compression ratios (VCR) and hardware packages that reduce methane slip.”
