Swiss marine power company WinGD on Tuesday (19 May) said its 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. WinGD Executive Director Sales Volkmar Galke , said: “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.” 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. Vale Director of Shipping Rodrigo Bermelho , said: “The adoption of ethanol as an alternative fuel is part of Vale&#82