Wärtsilä completes LNG carrier engine conversions

Wärtsilä has completed the conversion of engines on board three LNG carriers operated by Chevron Transport Corporation, introducing spark gas technology to reduce methane emissions and improve combustion efficiency.

The project involves converting Wärtsilä 50DF engines from dual-fuel operation to spark gas operation, replacing diesel pilot fuel ignition with spark ignition. The modification is designed to reduce methane slip, the unburnt methane that can escape into the atmosphere during LNG combustion. Three further vessel conversions are planned for later this year and 2027, bringing the total to six.

Barbara Pickering, president of Chevron Shipping, said: “Advancing lower-emission shipping will require both technology innovation and industry collaboration. Through projects like this, we can gain valuable operational insights, evaluate solutions and contribute to the collective experience needed to help move the industry forward while continuing to provide safe and reliable transport of energy.”

The conversion incorporates an electrically controlled pre-combustion chamber valve, allowing the engine to achieve a more optimised combustion process. According to Wärtsilä, the technology is expected to reduce methane emissions to 1.1% of fuel use on an IMO weighted E2-cycle average.

The solution is available to vessels already equipped with Wärtsilä 50DF engines used in diesel-electric propulsion systems. Most vessels operating this engine configuration are LNG carriers, offering the potential for wider adoption across the sector without requiring complete engine replacement.

Roger Holm, president of Wärtsilä Marine and executive vice president at Wärtsilä Corporation, said: “This achievement highlights the importance of technology development and cross-industry collaboration in advancing lower-emissions solutions for shipping. By working collaboratively across the marine sector, initiatives such as this project contribute to broader efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

The collaboration provides an opportunity to assess the technology under operational conditions and build experience in reducing methane emissions from LNG-fuelled shipping.