CMDC Round 4 - Powering Small Craft with a Novel Ammonia Engine

The small-craft (Sub-IMO) industry is reliant on fossil fuels. Most craft use diesel engines which are typically a spin-off from the automotive industry, with manufacturers creating marinized versions of engines. The introduction of MARPOL Tier 4 regulations has impacted on the available supply of engines in certain power-bands, and the introduction of electric road vehicles has removed the incentive for these manufacturers to design and supply engines within the power-band typically used for a range of small-craft including fishing vessels and leisure craft, including those engines used in hybrid propulsion systems. The remaining engines on the market are relatively large and create excessive pollution therefore unsuitable for implementation on small crafts.

This supply issue, combined with the global requirement to switch to cleaner and more sustainable fuels and equipment, is driving the need to develop new technology and green supply chains for the small-craft industry. This project will develop an innovative, lightweight, and compact small-craft engine that can efficiently burn ammonia by virtue of a novel engine design which addresses a number of known technical issues with the use of ammonia as a fuel to be used in a representative small craft used for leisure and commercial applications.