WinGD Lands Contract for First Ethanol-Fuelled Engines

May 19, 2026

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by Paul Bartlett (Seatrade Maritime News) The ships chartered by Vale will be the first oceangoing vessels to use ethanol as a primary fuel -- Swiss power company WinGD is to supply ethanol-powered engines for two bulkers chartered by Brazilian miner, Vale, for 25 years.

The X-DF-M/E will be the first engines designed primarily to run on ethanol for installation on oceangoing ships. They are to be installed on two 325,000 dwt very large ore carriers (VLOCs) to be built at China’s Beihai Shipbuilding for Shandong Shipping Corporation and are likely to be delivered by early in 2029. Options in the contract will allow more engines to be built if the two-ship series is extended.

The six-cylinder 820mm-bore 6X82DF-M/E engines will provide unparalleled fuel flexibility, with the possibility of operating on ethanol, methanol, or marine gasoil. WinGD said that fuel flexibility is now offered across its Diesel-cycle two-stroke engine range including the ammonia-fuelled X-DF-A and high-pressure LNG-fuelled X-DF-HP platforms.

Volkmar Galke, WinGD Executive Director Sales, commented: “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.”

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Ethanol as fuel is becoming more widely available and cost-competitive in markets including Brazil. The bulkers are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared with heavy fuel oil, according to Vale’s analysis. READ MORE

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WinGD secures world-first ethanol-fuelled engine orders for ocean-going ships (WinGD)

Excerpt from WinGD: Swiss marine power company WinGD’s first ethanol-fuelled 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 optimised for primarily ethanol use. The fuel supply and injection pressure will be modified from WinGD’s methanol-fuelled 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.

“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.” -- Volkmar Galke, Executive Director Sales, WinGD

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.

“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.” -- Rodrigo Bermelho, Director of Shipping, Vale

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-fuelled X-DF-A and high-pressure LNG-fuelled 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. READ MORE