Methanol engine orders pave way for multi-fuel shipping future

In Germany, MAN Energy Solutions has received multiple orders for its dual-fuel liquid gas injection methanol engines to power Very Large Container Vessels at shipyards in South Korea, China, and Japan, bringing the total number of such engines ordered to 95 since 2021. Five of these engines are already operational aboard VLCVs, supporting the growing shift towards a multi-fuel shipping industry.

Bjarne Foldager, Country Manager at MAN Energy Solutions, emphasized, “The marine industry is heading for a multi-fuel future where several pathways need to be available in order to achieve sufficient greenhouse-gas reduction at scale.” He expects methanol to play a prominent role alongside other low- and zero-carbon fuels, such as methane and ammonia.

Peter Quaade, Head of the Dual-Fuel Engine Group at MAN Energy Solutions, noted the increasing interest in both newbuildings and retrofits for methanol propulsion. “Our dual-fuel methanol concept is proven and, to date, has accumulated over half a million hours running on methanol alone,” he said. He added that the world’s first methanol engine retrofit is currently undergoing sea trials in China, which could further boost interest in methanol retrofits as a decarbonization pathway.

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