Swiss marine engine developer WinGD has completed another Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) for its ammonia-fuelled X-DF-A engine platform, marking further progress towards the commercial deployment of ammonia-powered shipping.
The latest testing involved an X52DF-A-1.0 two-stroke engine built by Yuchai Marine Power Co., Ltd and carried out in April 2026 under the supervision of China Classification Society.
The engine is scheduled for installation aboard the first of four LPG/ammonia carriers under construction at CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company Limited for Tianjin Southwest Maritime.
According to WinGD, the testing programme confirmed stable engine operation and favourable emissions performance. The company said NOx emissions during ammonia operation were significantly lower than with conventional fuels, while N₂O emissions remained low.
“The successful completion of Factory Acceptance Testing in China provides further validation of our X-DF-A platform across key performance and safety parameters,” said Peter Krähenbühl, VP Product Center at WinGD.
The company added that more than 30 X-DF-A engines have now been ordered across vessel sectors including gas carriers, bulkers, tankers and container ships, reflecting increasing industry interest in ammonia as a future marine fuel.
WinGD’s X-DF-A engines use high-pressure ammonia injection combined with a pilot fuel requirement of around 5% at full load, while maintaining operational characteristics similar to conventional diesel-fuelled engines.
