EXMAR vessels approach commercial service

Testing for WinGD engines completed in South Korea

Click to learn more about testing for WinGD’s ammonia dual fuel engine in South Korea. Source: WinGD.

EXMAR announced that Type Approval Testing (TAT) and Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) were both successfully completed in January for WinGD’s X52DF-A-1.0 engine, with the  tested unit to be subsequently installed aboard one of  EXMAR’s under-construction 46,000 m³ LPG/ammonia carriers. The testing was conducted at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Engine & Machinery facility, witnessed by Lloyd’s Register (alongside representatives from all major classification societies). Testing approval cleared another hurdle for the vessels to hit the water and enter commercial service, with EXMAR planning sea trials “in the coming months”.

These successful tests represent a key milestone in EXMAR’s development of ammonia as a marine fuel, a journey that began in 2021. Drawing on more than 40 years of experience in transporting ammonia as cargo, we have been able to bring critical operational insight into both engine design and the test program, with special focus on the safety considerations unique to using ammonia as a fuel. We now move forward with preparations for sea trials, where the ammonia dual fuel engine and all onboard systems will be validated in real-world operation.

Kristof Coppé, Director Fleet Operations & Technical Business Development at EXMAR, in his organisation’s official press release, 25 Feb 2026

Completing Type Approval Testing and Factory Acceptance Testing with our joint development partner HHI-EMD represents a major technical milestone in the development of ammonia-fueled two-stroke propulsion…We have developed an engine that has been well proven to be safe and efficient by tackling, one by one, all the technical challenges we faced.

Sotiris Topaloglou, Global Head of Testing & Validation at WinGD, in EXMAR’s official press release, 25 Feb 2026

Join us Wed 15th April for a discussion with EXMAR and Lloyd’s Register.

EXMAR’s five-year journey to ammonia-fueled vessels has seen a series of critical milestones, including the just-announced engine testing.

In April, EXMAR and Lloyd’s Register will join us for a Project Features webinar to explore another key milestone: the development of guidelines for the safe use of ammonia cargo as fuel on ammonia carriers, a practice that was formally prohibited under IMO regulations.

Kristof Coppé (Director Fleet Operations & Technical Business Development, EXMAR), and Peter Van de Graaf (Strategic Business Partner, Lloyd’s Register) will be joined in conversation by AEA Technology Manager Kevin Rouwenhorst to discuss EXMAR’s upcoming ammonia-fueled vessels and its partnerships to advance safe operations for these vessels. Join us on Wednesday 15 April @ 9AM EDT (3PM CEST) for a fascinating discussion, and be sure to submit your questions for the speakers when registering.