Development of Ammonia-Fueled 4-Stroke Marine Engine Receives Minister's Prize from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry at the 60th JSPMI Prize
IHI Group’s IHI Power Systems Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, IHI Power Systems) received the The Minister's Prize from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry from General Incorporated Foundation the Japan Society for the Promotion of Machine Industry (Chairman: Kazuaki Kama) at the 60th Japan Society for the Promotion of Machine Industry (JSPMI) Prize. This award is given every year to companies, universities and research institutions that greatly contributed to the development of the machine industry through excellent research and development or its implementation, for the aim of promoting technology development in machinery.
There is demand for heavy oil-fueled engines to also make a shift to carbon-free fuels as a climate change measure. Ammonia fuel, which does not emit CO2 during combustion, is a strong candidate for this shift. However, ammonia is less flammable than heavy oil, and there were technical difficulties involved with making the shift.
In fiscal 2020, IHI Group began conducting basic verifications on using ammonia fuel in reciprocating engines, and successfully clarified ignition conditions and established continuous combustion conditions. Moreover, IHI Group has also pushed forth development of marine engines(*1).
The award recognized the successful demonstration sailings in fiscal 2024(*2) of the world’s first ammonia-fueled Tugboat “Sakigake,” designed for commercial utilization, which led to the CIMAC Chairman Award at the International Council on Combustion Engines Congress (CIMAC Congress 2025), and was highly praised for the establishment of a technological foundation that contributes to the achievement of a sustainable society. The demonstration confirmed ammonia-fueled engine technology is valid for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the shipping industry. This is a foundational technology that not only can greatly contribute to decarbonization in the maritime field, but can also contribute to fuel shifts for internal combustion engines and realizing a sustainable society.
IHI Group is working on developing an ammonia fuel utilization model to be disseminated. IHI Group will continue to further promote technology innovations and infrastructure development for early social implementation of carbon-free fuels and for reduction of the global environmental load.
| (*1) IHI Group’s development work thus far: | |
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In fiscal 2020, the Group began basic testing for the use of ammonia fuel in 4-stroke reciprocating engines, investigating ammonia fuel’s ignition conditions using a rapid compression and expansion machine (RCEM) and establishing ammonia fuel’s continuous combustion conditions using a single cylinder tester. |
| ・ | In fiscal 2021, the four companies of Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd., Japan Engine Corporation, and IHI Power Systems, with cooperation from General Incorporated Foundation Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK), began working on “Development of ships with ammonia-fueled domestic engines” as a Green Innovation Fund project of the National Research and Development Agency New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). As part of this project, IHI Power Systems developed the engine installed on the ammonia-fueled tugboat “Sakigake.” |
(*2) On the demonstration sailings:
The demonstration sailings were conducted at Yokohama Port from August to November of 2024. Ammonia fuel co-firing ratio and greenhouse gas emissions reduction ratio were both over 90%, with co-firing ratio reaching maximum 95% approximately.
The demonstration achieved nearly 0% concentration of ammonia and nitrous oxide (N2O) in the emissions after exhaust aftertreatment.
Related press release:
Press Release of March 28, 2025
World’s First Commercial-Use Ammonia-Fueled Tugboat Completes Three-Month Demonstration Voyage
- GHG emissions reduced by up to approximately 95% -
https://www.ihi.co.jp/en/all_news/2024/resources_energy_environment/1201335_13691.html