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Performance and Emission Characteristics of Marine Engines
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Performance and Emission Characteristics of Marine Engines

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Ocean Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 September 2025 | Viewed by 6742

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Elias Yfantis

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Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: marine internal combustion engines; shipping decarbonization; maritime alternative fuels
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Theodoros Zannis

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Guest Editor
Associate Professor, Hellenic Naval Academy, Piraeus, Greece
Interests: internal combustion engines; marine alternative fuels; waste heat recovery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. George Mallouppas

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Guest Editor
Senior Associate Scientist, Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute, Larnaca, Cyprus
Interests: computational fluid dynamics; internal combustion engines; emissions measurements; alternative fuels
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleague,

Shipping decarbonization is a complex challenge. Although several solutions are being proposed and exhaustively explored to achieve this goal, the ambitious targets set by IMO for 2050 and the EU for 2030 need further R&I efforts. Considering (a) the size of the global fleet and (b) the availability, applicability, and technological maturity of the alternative solutions, marine diesel engines are likely to remain in use for the foreseeable future. It is, therefore, important for the marine ICEs to be further improved with regard to their performance and environmental footprint to become part of the combination of solutions required for the decarbonization of the shipping sector. We invite researchers from both academia and industry to submit original articles that advance state-of-the-art technologies or review the progress and future directions of research in this field. The scope of the Special Issue covers the range of subjects relevant to ICEs including performance optimization, digital twinning, alternative fuels, hybrid propulsion systems, waste heat recovery, and after treatment systems.   

Dr. Elias Yfantis
Dr. Theodoros Zannis
Dr. George Mallouppas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • marine engines
  • maritime
  • decarbonization
  • optimization
  • performance
  • emissions

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 2002 KiB  
Article
Measuring Methane Slip from LNG Engines with Different Devices
by Kati Lehtoranta, Hannu Vesala, Niklas Flygare, Niina Kuittinen and Anni-Rosa Apilainen
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(5), 890; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13050890 - 30 Apr 2025
Viewed by 394
Abstract
When using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel for shipping, the sulphur emissions are negligible and low NOx and particle emissions can be reached together with lower CO2 emissions compared to diesel-based fuels. The drawback of LNG usage is the unburned [...] Read more.
When using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel for shipping, the sulphur emissions are negligible and low NOx and particle emissions can be reached together with lower CO2 emissions compared to diesel-based fuels. The drawback of LNG usage is the unburned fuel, i.e., methane can be found in the exhaust. Reliable emission detection and quantification will play a key role, as methane is also becoming regulated. In this study, different methods to measure methane are studied in the engine laboratory and on board with state-of-the-art engines. Four different measurement methods are found to give similar methane results with few exceptions. Measurements performed downstream of the methane abatement catalyst show that all instruments could detect the methane conversion efficiency to be above 95%. Comparing results from onboard studies to earlier published onboard studies with similar engines indicate that the engine (46 DF) behaved rather similarly, and the measurements carried out at different occasions on board by different devices and parties gave similar results. To measure total hydrocarbons, a flame ionization detector (FID) has generally been the accepted method (e.g., in NOx Technical Code). Based on this study, other methods as reliable as FID for methane measurement exist and these methods can also be utilized on board. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Performance and Emission Characteristics of Marine Engines)
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15 pages, 1806 KiB  
Article
Data-Driven Propulsion Load Optimization: Reducing Fuel Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Double-Ended Ferries
by Andres Laasma, Deniece M. Aiken, Kadi Kasepõld, Olli-Pekka Hilmola and Ulla Pirita Tapaninen
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(4), 688; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13040688 - 28 Mar 2025
Viewed by 415
Abstract
As the focus on climate action and sustainable development of the shipping industry intensifies, the maritime sector has intensified its focus on decarbonization. Although the ferry sector accounts for a small part of the global fleet, it plays a crucial role in specific [...] Read more.
As the focus on climate action and sustainable development of the shipping industry intensifies, the maritime sector has intensified its focus on decarbonization. Although the ferry sector accounts for a small part of the global fleet, it plays a crucial role in specific regions. This study examines data from an energy monitoring system installed on a double-ended Estonian ferry over the period from 2022 to 2024. The empirical results clearly show that targeted adjustments can lead to substantial fuel consumption reductions as the optimal operation of the vessel requires equal power from the aft and fore engines particularly when operating under cold or icy conditions. Additionally, the research finds that real-time energy monitoring together with integrating environmental factors supports energy efficiency and fulfilling regulatory requirements. The analysis reveals that environmental corrections and balanced decision-making can generate fuel savings and extended emission reductions. The suggested framework offers ferry operators practical and economical ways of meeting sustainability requirements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Performance and Emission Characteristics of Marine Engines)
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17 pages, 7551 KiB  
Article
Effect of a Compression Ratio Increase and High-Flow-Rate Injection on the Combustion Characteristics of an Ammonia Direct Injection Spark-Ignited Engine
by Cheolwoong Park, Ilpum Jang, Jeongwoo Lee, Minki Kim, Chansoo Park, Yongrae Kim and Young Choi
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(2), 268; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13020268 - 31 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 746
Abstract
Despite efforts to use ammonia as a fuel, there remain problems with low combustion speeds and high unburned ammonia (NH3) emissions. Therefore, methods to compensate for slow combustion speeds and stabilize combustion have been studied. This study aims to analyze how [...] Read more.
Despite efforts to use ammonia as a fuel, there remain problems with low combustion speeds and high unburned ammonia (NH3) emissions. Therefore, methods to compensate for slow combustion speeds and stabilize combustion have been studied. This study aims to analyze how increasing the compression ratio affects engine performance to enhance thermal efficiency and reduce unburned emissions in a high-pressure ammonia direct injection spark-ignited engine. In addition, by applying a high-flow-rate (HFR) injector, an improvement in the combustion of ammonia fuel and exhaust gas emissions is observed through changes in the air–fuel mixture formation of high-pressure directly injected ammonia fuel. Compared with the existing compression ratio, the incomplete combustion loss due to unburned NH3 increases significantly, and the thermal efficiency does not increase under an increased compression ratio. When HFR injectors are applied with an increase in the compression ratio, the net work increases by 4.7%, as incomplete combustion and energy losses of fuel are reduced by reducing the amount of unburned NH3. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Performance and Emission Characteristics of Marine Engines)
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27 pages, 4732 KiB  
Article
Environmental and Cost Assessments of Marine Alternative Fuels for Fully Autonomous Short-Sea Shipping Vessels Based on the Global Warming Potential Approach
by Harriet Laryea and Andrea Schiffauerova
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(11), 2026; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12112026 - 9 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1376
Abstract
This research paper presents an effective approach to reducing marine pollution and costs by determining the optimal marine alternative fuels framework for short-sea shipping vessels, with a focus on energy efficiency. Employing mathematical models in a Python environment, the analyses are tailored specifically [...] Read more.
This research paper presents an effective approach to reducing marine pollution and costs by determining the optimal marine alternative fuels framework for short-sea shipping vessels, with a focus on energy efficiency. Employing mathematical models in a Python environment, the analyses are tailored specifically for conventional and fully autonomous high-speed passenger ferries (HSPFs) and tugboats, utilizing bottom-up methodologies, ship operating phases, and the global warming potential approach. The study aims to identify the optimal marine fuel that offers the highest Net Present Value (NPV) and minimal emissions, aligning with International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations and environmental objectives. Data from the ship’s Automatic Identification System (AIS), along with specifications and port information, were integrated to assess power, energy, and fuel consumption, incorporating parameters of proposed marine alternative fuels. This study examines key performance indicators (KPIs) for marine alternative fuels used in both conventional and autonomous vessels, specifically analyzing total mass emission rate (TMER), total global warming potential (TGWP), total environmental impact (TEI), total environmental damage cost (TEDC), and NPV. The results show that hydrogen (H2-Ren, H2-F) fuels and electric options produce zero emissions, while traditional fuels like HFO and MDO exhibit the highest TMER. Sensitivity and stochastic analyses identify critical input variables affecting NPV, such as fuel costs, emission costs, and vessel speed. Findings indicate that LNG consistently yields the highest NPV, particularly for autonomous vessels, suggesting economic advantages and reduced emissions. These insights are crucial for optimizing fuel selection and operational strategies in marine transportation and offer valuable guidance for decision-making and investment in the marine sector, ensuring regulatory compliance and environmental sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Performance and Emission Characteristics of Marine Engines)
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18 pages, 4955 KiB  
Article
DAPNet: A Dual-Attention Parallel Network for the Prediction of Ship Fuel Consumption Based on Multi-Source Data
by Xinyu Li, Yi Zuo and Junhao Jiang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(11), 1945; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12111945 - 31 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1005
Abstract
The precise prediction of ship fuel consumption (SFC) not only serves to enhance energy efficiency to benefit shipping enterprises but also to provide quantitative foundations to aid in carbon emission reduction and ecological environment protection. On the other hand, SFC-related data represent typical [...] Read more.
The precise prediction of ship fuel consumption (SFC) not only serves to enhance energy efficiency to benefit shipping enterprises but also to provide quantitative foundations to aid in carbon emission reduction and ecological environment protection. On the other hand, SFC-related data represent typical multi-source characteristics and heterogeneous features, which lead to several methodological issues (e.g., feature alignment and feature fusion) in SFC prediction. Therefore, this paper proposes a dual-attention parallel network named DAPNet to solve the above issues. Firstly, we design a parallel network structure containing two kinds of long short-term memory (LSTM) and improved temporal convolutional networks (TCNs) for time-series analysis tasks so that different source data can be applied to suitable networks. Secondly, a local attention mechanism is included in each single parallel network so as to improve the ability of feature alignment from different-scale training data. Finally, global attention is employed for the fusion of all parallel networks, which can enrich representation features and simultaneously enhance the performance of SFC prediction. In experiments, DAPNet is compared with 10 methods, including baseline and attention models. The comparison results show that DAPNet and several of its variants obtain the highest accuracy in SFC prediction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Performance and Emission Characteristics of Marine Engines)
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32 pages, 21135 KiB  
Article
Parametric Investigation on the Influence of Turbocharger Performance Decay on the Performance and Emission Characteristics of a Marine Large Two-Stroke Dual Fuel Engine
by Haosheng Shen, Fumiao Yang, Dingyu Jiang, Daoyi Lu, Baozhu Jia, Qingjiang Liu and Xiaochi Zhang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(8), 1298; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12081298 - 1 Aug 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1564
Abstract
Identifying and analyzing the engine performance and emission characteristics under the condition of performance decay is of significant reference value for fault diagnosis, condition-based maintenance, and health status monitoring. However, there is a lack of relevant research on the currently popular marine large [...] Read more.
Identifying and analyzing the engine performance and emission characteristics under the condition of performance decay is of significant reference value for fault diagnosis, condition-based maintenance, and health status monitoring. However, there is a lack of relevant research on the currently popular marine large two-stroke dual fuel (DF) engines. To fill the research gap, a detailed zero-/one-dimensional (0D/1D) model of a marine two-stroke DF engine employing the low-pressure gas concept is first established in GT-Power (Version 2020) and validated by comparing the simulation and measured results. Then, three typical types of turbocharger performance decays are defined including turbine efficiency decay, turbine nozzle ring area decay, and turbocharger shaft mechanical efficiency decay. Finally, the three types of decays are introduced to the engine simulation model and parametric runs are performed in both diesel and gas modes to identify and analyze their impacts on the performance and emission characteristics of the investigated marine DF engine. The results reveal that turbocharger performance decay has a significant impact on engine performance parameters, such as brake efficiency, engine speed, boost pressure, etc., as well as CO2 and NOx emissions, and the specified limit value on certain engine operational parameters will be exceeded when turbocharger performance decays to a certain extent. The changing trend of engine performance and emission parameters as turbocharger performance deteriorates are generally consistent in both operating modes but with significant differences in the extent and magnitude, mainly due to the distinct combustion process (Diesel cycle versus Otto cycle). Furthermore, considering the relative decline in brake efficiency, engine speed drop, and relative increase in CO2 emission, the investigated engine is less sensitive to the turbocharger performance decay in gas mode. The simulation results also imply that employing a variable geometry turbine (VGT) is capable of improving the brake efficiency of the investigated marine DF engine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Performance and Emission Characteristics of Marine Engines)
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