The 50 engines will all feature ‘intelligent control by exhaust recycling’ (iCER) technology, released in May, which improves fuel efficiency in both gas and diesel modes and cuts methane slip by 50% compared with first generation X-DF engines. Methane abatement is now a top priority as the IMO’s carbon intensity indicator framework is set to tighten from 2025 and methane emissions will figure in ship assessments.
QatarEnergy has booked about 60% of total LNG shipbuilding capacity between now and 2027 and its overall vessel requirement could exceed 100 ships. The carriers are due for delivery between next year and 2027 and will be deployed on long-term charters.
One recent order, highlighted by WinGD in a statement, features two 174,000 cu m vessels ordered by TMS Cardiff Gas at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. The ships, which will be chartered to QatarEnergy, will be the first ships build by Daewoo to have on-engine iCER systems.
WinGD Global Sales Director, Volkmar Galke, declared: “This huge order intake with on-engine iCER technology shows the need for proven and reliable dual-fuel engines as the LNG carrier ordering surge continues. Owners and operators are seeking fuel flexibility without compromising efficiency, emissions, or capex. And the fact that all have chosen our latest compact, cost-saving configuration confirms that WinGD delivers the best possible solution to customers, giving them the confidence in the investment for today and for the future.”
The contract comes as the LNG carrier orderbook breaks all records, with 260 deep sea vessels on order, more than 140 of which have been ordered this year, according to Clarkson Research figures. Owners have been pitting their wits against each other in recent days as they seek to nail down four building slots that have unexpectedly become available in 2026. Meanwhile, Chinese builders are muscling in on the LNG sector although barriers to entry are expensive and high.
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