MAN Energy Solutions (ES) has reported that by 2024 its customers will be able to use ‘future fuels’, such as ammonia, methanol and hydrogen, to power its four-stroke engines.
While these fuels are not currently available on the market, their use in MAN units will be possible through the incipient start-up of green-fuel production facilities. These, in turn, will further reduce harmful emissions and reliably meet future, stricter environmental requirements and regulations.
“Green future-fuels are key to the decarbonisation of shipping,” said Marita Krems, head of the four-stroke marine engines division at MAN Energy Solutions. “By 2050, greenhouse gas emissions in ship transport must decrease by at least 50 per cent. We will therefore make future-proof solutions available to our customers, which will make the diversified use of green fuels possible – both for new engines and engines in the existing fleet.”
Currently MAN customers can use biofuels as ship fuel in order to reduce emissions. “Sustainably produced biofuels, for example those derived from waste woods, can reduce CO2 output by up to 85 per cent,” said Krems. “In 2022, we will offer engines that are designed for later conversion – if required – to methanol operation. From 2024, we will make solutions for the use of methanol in four-stroke engines available.”
The company also has its sights firmly set on the use of ammonia. Krems said: “In container ships with a two-stroke engine, ammonia will certainly play a decisive role and such an engine will be available from 2024. When it comes to the four-stroke segment, we have already discussed the relevance of this fuel in great detail with our customers. Cruise ships or ferries, for example, are basically floating cities and have especially high safety standards. Here, we only see options for ammonia’s use if initial, positive operating experiences have been gathered in other segments.”
“As soon as there is a demand for an ammonia solution, we will be ready,” said Krems. “With our two-stroke engines, we are the pioneers when it comes to ammonia and we have the necessary, developmental competence. Together with partners – as part of the ‘AmmoniaMot’ research project – we have already defined the steps necessary for the development of a four-stroke, multi-fuel engine that can also operate on ammonia. As soon as relevant fields of application emerge, we will be able to handle them.”
