WinGD has secured its first order for ethanol-fuelled X-DF-M/E engines to power two new Newcastlemax ore carriers being built for Shandong Shipping Corporation under long-term charter agreements with Vale.
The 325,000 dwt vessels will be constructed by Beihai Shipbuilding and equipped with six-cylinder 6X82DF-M/E engines designed to operate primarily on ethanol fuel.
According to WinGD, the engines represent the first application of its X-DF-M/E platform optimised specifically for ethanol. The fuel supply and injection system have been adapted from the company’s methanol-fuelled engine design to accommodate ethanol’s different energy density while retaining similar combustion characteristics.
The contract also includes options for additional engine deliveries should the vessel series expand.
WinGD said the project builds on more than a decade of research into alcohol-based marine fuels, including ethanol and methanol, and demonstrates growing confidence in ethanol as a practical fuel option for maritime decarbonisation.
Ethanol is attracting increasing interest within the shipping industry due to its wide availability and competitive pricing in several global markets, particularly Brazil, where the new vessels will load iron ore cargoes for transport to China.
According to investigations by Vale, ethanol could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 90 percent compared with conventional heavy fuel oil depending on lifecycle assumptions and fuel sourcing.
The addition of ethanol capability further expands WinGD’s dual-fuel engine portfolio, which already includes ammonia-fuelled and LNG-fuelled engine platforms.
Engine deliveries are scheduled for early 2029, subject to shipyard requirements.
