WinGD has secured the world’s first orders for ethanol-fuelled engines designed for ocean-going vessels, marking another step in shipping’s search for lower-emission fuel options.

The Swiss engine designer said its new ethanol-fuelled X-DF-M/E engines will power two Guaibamax ore carriers being built in China for Shandong Shipping Corporation under long-term charter to Brazilian mining giant Vale.

The 325,000 dwt vessels will be constructed at Beihai Shipbuilding and fitted with six-cylinder 6X82DF-M/E engines designed to operate primarily on ethanol fuel.

The order marks the first commercial application of WinGD’s ethanol-focused X-DF-M/E platform, which has been adapted from the company’s methanol engine design already in operation.

According to WinGD, the fuel supply and injection systems were modified to account for ethanol’s lower energy density compared with methanol, although the two fuels share similar combustion characteristics.

Volkmar Galke, executive director of sales at WinGD, said the deal reflected growing confidence in ethanol as a marine fuel.

“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,” Galke said.

“Securing orders for a top-tier charterer and ship operator is the best possible validation of those efforts.”

The engines are scheduled for delivery in early 2029, with options in place for additional units if the vessel series is expanded.

The project also underlines Vale’s broader decarbonisation push in the iron ore trade. Earlier this year, the Brazilian mining group signed up for the two ore carrier newbuildings as part of efforts to cut emissions across its logistics chain.

Vale has identified ethanol as a potential low-carbon fuel with particular relevance to Brazil, one of the world’s largest producers of bioethanol. According to the company’s own studies, ethanol could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 90% compared with conventional heavy fuel oil, depending on lifecycle assumptions and fuel sourcing.

Rodrigo Bermelho, Vale’s director of shipping, said the project would give the company greater fuel flexibility while supporting shipping’s energy transition.

“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,” Bermelho said.

The latest order further broadens WinGD’s alternative fuel portfolio, which already includes ammonia-fuelled X-DF-A engines and high-pressure LNG-fuelled X-DF-HP technology, as engine makers and shipowners continue to hedge bets across multiple fuel pathways.