WinGD lands first ethanol engine order

WinGD has won its first order for large ethanol-fuelled X-DF-M/E engines for two 325,000dwt bulk carriers to be built for China’s Shandong Shipping. The vessels will be constructed at Beihai Shipbuilding and chartered on 25-year deals to Brazilian mining company, Vale.

The six-cylinder 802mm-bore 6X82DF-M/E engines are designed to operate primarily on ethanol but they can also burn methanol and conventional fuel. The iron ore miner has researched ethanol as fuel and estimates that it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 90% compared with heavy fuel oil.

Vale’s director of Shipping, Rodrigo Bermelho, commented: “The adoption of ethanol as an alternative fuel is part of Vale's strategy to combine flexibility and efficiency in the ships that transport our ore, and places the company in a unique position for the energy transition in global shipping over the coming decades, whilst driving similar initiatives in the sector. We are pleased to partner with Shandong and WinGD on the world’s first newbuilding order for ethanol-fuelled ocean-going vessels.”

Volkmar Galke, executive director Sales at WinGD, said: “These first ethanol-fuelled X-DF-M/E engines build on more than a decade of intensive investigation into alcohol fuels including ethanol and methanol. Securing orders for a top-tier charterer and ship operator is the best possible validation of those efforts. This is a clear signal that the shipboard technology and fuel infrastructure around ethanol as a marine fuel are ready, giving confidence to others considering ethanol as an option for maritime decarbonisation.”

The engines are scheduled for delivery early in 2029 and the contract includes options for further units in the event of repeat orders in the vessel series.