WinGD Secures Ethanol-Fueled Engine Order for Two Ore Carriers

Swiss marine power company WinGD’s first ethanol-fueled X-DF-M/E engines have been ordered for two ore carriers to be built for Chinese owner Shandong Shipping Corporation and to operate under long-term charters for Brazil-headquartered global mining company Vale. The two Newcastlemax (325,000 DWT) vessels will be built by Beihai Shipbuilding in China, and will each be powered by a six-cylinder, 820mm-bore 6X82DF-M/E engine intended to run primarily on ethanol fuel.

The engines will be the first of the X-DF-M/E platform optimized for primarily ethanol use. The fuel supply and injection pressure will be modified from WinGD’s methanol-fueled engine concept already in service to account for the difference in energy density between the two fuels, which otherwise share very similar properties and combustion characteristics. The contract includes options for further engine deliveries should the vessel series be extended.

Ethanol is gaining attention as a ship fuel due to its widespread and cost-competitive availability in several markets. These markets include Brazil, from where the vessels will deliver iron ore to China. According to Vale’s own investigations, the use of ethanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 90% compared with heavy fuel oil, depending on the fuel type and lifecycle assumptions.

With the addition of ethanol-fuel capability for its X-DF-M/E platform, WinGD now offers unparalleled fuel flexibility across Diesel-cycle two-stroke engines. X-DF-M/E, alongside the ammonia-fueled X-DF-A and high-pressure LNG-fueled X-DF-HP platforms, are all based on the same robust engine architecture and injection concept – ensuring efficient conversion capability that does not lock owners into a single fuel option.

The engine deliveries are scheduled to take place in early 2029 depending on shipyard requirements.