Engine Ordered for World’s First Methanol-Powered VLCC

China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES), a subsidiary of China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI), has placed an order for the first dual-fuel methanol engine in the VLCC segment.

The MAN B&W 7G80ME-LGIM (-Liquid Gas Injection Methanol) main engine will be built by CSE (China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation Diesel Engine Co., Ltd.) and will feature MAN Energy Solutions’ proprietary Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) emissions system.

The VLCC is being built by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC) with delivery expected by April 2026.

This order follows CMES’s recent purchase of six small-bore, seven-cylinder 21/31DF-M methanol-burning GenSets for the construction of two 9,300 car equivalent units (ceu) Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs). CMES had previously ordered two MAN B&W ME-LGIM main engines for the same vessels.

“This is a significant project as it marks the first methanol-burning engine in this specific marine segment and comes from a major VLCC fleet owner,” said Bjarne Foldager, Head of Two-Stroke Business at MAN Energy Solutions. ”CMES’s commitment to methanol, along with their recent dual-fuel business with us, positions them as pioneers in adopting methanol as a future fuel across various vessel segments.”

This latest development highlights the industry’s increasing focus on adopting alternative fuels to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable shipping.

“Transitioning to low-carbon fuels is the most effective way to decarbonize the existing maritime fleet, and we are seeing a growing interest in methanol-powered engines,” said Thomas S. Hansen, Head of Promotion and Customer Support at MAN Energy Solutions. “In response to this demand, we have expanded our methanol portfolio to cover all large merchant-marine vessel applications, including VLCCs. With over 150 ME-LGIM engines ordered and more than 450,000 running hours on methanol already recorded at sea, our concept has proven its capabilities.”

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