Swiss marine engine designer WinGD has secured the first order for its ethanol-fuelled X-DF-M/E engines, with two 325,000-dwt Newcastlemax ore carriers booked for Shandong Shipping Corporation and fixed on long-term charters to Vale, according to WinGD.
The vessels will be built by Beihai Shipbuilding in China and powered by six-cylinder, 820mm-bore 6X82DF-M/E engines designed to run primarily on ethanol.
The order covers the first X-DF-M/E engines optimised for ethanol use. WinGD said the fuel supply and injection pressure will be adjusted from its methanol-fuelled engine concept already in service to reflect the difference in energy density between ethanol and methanol.
The contract includes options for further engine deliveries if the vessel series is extended. WinGD executive director sales Volkmar Galke 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.”
Vale said ethanol can cut greenhouse gas emissions by around 90% compared with heavy fuel oil, depending on the fuel type and lifecycle assumptions. The company said the fuel is available at competitive cost in several markets, including Brazil, from where the vessels will carry iron ore to China. Vale director of shipping Rodrigo Bermelho said: “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-fueled ocean-going vessels.”
Engine deliveries are scheduled for early 2029, depending on shipyard requirements.
WinGD is a Swiss marine power company headquartered in Winterthur. Its business originates from the Sulzer Diesel Engine operation founded in 1893 and focuses on low-speed two-stroke engines, fuel-efficiency systems, hybridisation and digital optimisation for marine propulsion.
Shandong Shipping Corporation is a Chinese shipowner named in the order as the owner of the two Newcastlemax ore carriers.
Vale is a Brazil-headquartered mining company and long-term charterer of the vessels. Its shipping activity supports the seaborne transport of ore cargoes, including exports from Brazil to China.
Beihai Shipbuilding is the Chinese shipyard contracted to build the two Newcastlemax vessels.