Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply its Wärtsilä 25 Ammonia propulsion solution for a new cargo vessel ordered by Norway-based Skarv Shipping Solutions, marking the first time the technology will be installed on a newbuild vessel.

The ship will be constructed at Huanghai Shipyard in China, with delivery of the Wärtsilä equipment scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. Wärtsilä confirmed that the order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The scope of supply covers the complete ammonia propulsion package, including the Wärtsilä 25 Ammonia four-stroke engine, the AmmoniaPac Fuel Gas Supply System, the Wärtsilä Ammonia Release Mitigation System (WARMS), and an ammonia-specific selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system for exhaust after-treatment.

According to Wärtsilä, operating the engine on sustainably produced ammonia can reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90% compared with conventional diesel propulsion. The company said this performance enables compliance with EU emissions requirements through 2050 and exceeds the International Maritime Organization’s 2040 target.

Jan Øivind Svardal, CEO, Skarv Shipping Solutions, said: "Our aim is to prove that it is possible to renew the European short-sea fleet while making it more climate-friendly. That means implementing a whole array of technologies. We see ammonia as one of the future fuels and are happy to see strong European companies like Wärtsilä leading the push towards carbon-free propulsion."

The vessel is intended for short-sea operations in Northern Europe, where tightening regional emissions rules are accelerating interest in alternative fuels.

Roger Holm, President of Wärtsilä Marine and Executive Vice President, Wärtsilä Corporation, commented: "The Wärtsilä 25 Ammonia engine and the whole solution is the result of extensive research and testing over a number of years, in line with our commitment to decarbonising shipping operations. Through our focus on continuous improvement, we have developed the Wärtsilä 25 engine, along with our associated ammonia handling systems, to deliver outstanding levels of safety, efficiency, reliability and sustainability."

The Wärtsilä 25 Ammonia engine was developed based on the company's experience with low-pressure dual-fuel engines running on LNG.

Wärtsilä has positioned ammonia as a critical component of long-term shipping decarbonisation. In its report, 'Sustainable fuels for shipping by 2050 – the three key elements of success,' the company estimates that existing efficiency measures could reduce sector emissions by around 27%, with sustainable fuels such as ammonia required to address the remaining reductions needed to meet the IMO’s net-zero target.