Swiss company WinGD has signed a contract to supply ethanol-fueled engines for two large bulk carriers that will be chartered long-term by Brazil’s Vale.
According to reports, the X-DF-M/E engines will become the first marine engines specifically designed to operate primarily on ethanol fuel. The six-cylinder engines will be installed on two 325,000 dwt ore carriers being built for Shandong Shipping Corporation at China’s Beihai Shipbuilding shipyard. Delivery of the vessels is scheduled for early 2029.
The new engines will be capable of operating on ethanol, methanol, and marine gas oil. Representatives of WinGD stated that the project demonstrates how ethanol is emerging as a practical alternative fuel in the maritime industry’s decarbonization process.
According to calculations by Vale, replacing conventional heavy fuel oil with ethanol could reduce harmful emissions by approximately 90 percent.
