WinGD Lands World-First Ethanol Engine Order for Vale Ore Carriers

Swiss engine designer WinGD has secured the maritime industry’s first confirmed order for ethanol-fuelled two-stroke engines powering ocean-going bulk carriers, marking another major milestone in shipping’s race toward alternative fuels.

The company announced Tuesday that two 325,000 DWT Newcastlemax ore carriers being built for Shandong Shipping Corporation will each be fitted with six-cylinder 6X82DF-M/E dual-fuel engines designed to operate primarily on ethanol. The vessels are being constructed in China at Beihai Shipbuilding and will operate under long-term charter to Brazilian mining giant Vale.

The order represents the first commercial application of WinGD’s X-DF-M/E platform optimized specifically for ethanol fuel.

“These first ethanol-fuelled X-DF-M/E engines build on