MAN Energy Solutions has announced that its ME-LGIA (Liquid Gas Injection Ammonia) engine has successfully operated at 100% engine load for the first time during tests conducted at its Research Centre Copenhagen (RCC). This achievement marks a notable advancement in the company's ongoing efforts to develop ammonia-fuelled marine engines.

The testing process commenced in November 2024 and has been characterised by a careful and safety-oriented approach, according to Ole Pyndt Hansen, Head of Two-Stroke Research & Development at MAN Energy Solutions. "We began full-scale testing in November 2024 and have since proceeded in a cautious and safety-first way," he stated. The engine has now been tested on ammonia fuel across a load range from 25% to 100%, leading to the validation of the ammonia fuel-injection system throughout the entire load curve, with diesel-pilot amounts recorded in alignment with the company's targets.

In addition to achieving full engine load, the company claims that the positive emissions and performance characteristics observed during earlier single-cylinder tests have been confirmed in full-scale engine operations. MAN Energy Solutions asserts that its proprietary selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology functioned effectively across all test loads, treating exhaust gases accordingly while ensuring that all supply and safety systems performed as expected.

Looking ahead, the next stages of testing will emphasise enhancing performance and optimising emissions, focusing on the injection and SCR systems, as well as refining control strategies. Christian Ludwig, Head of Global Sales & Promotion for the Two-Stroke Business at MAN Energy Solutions, remarked on the engine's power take-off (PTO) capability. He explained that "the ME-LGIA concept is based on the diesel-cycle combustion principle, which makes it eminently suitable for PTO."

Prior simulations of the PTO capabilities on the ammonia engine yielded favourable results, and Ludwig expressed satisfaction at seeing these outcomes replicated in real-world testing. The company intends to provide PTO support for the ME-LGIA equivalent to that of its other diesel-cycle engines within its low-speed portfolio.