WinGD secures flexible-fuel Newcastlemax order

Swiss marine power company WinGD has secured an order from Polaris Shipping for four X72DF-M-1.0 engines capable of running on either methanol or ethanol, giving the shipowner greater flexibility as fuel markets and regulations evolve.

The engines will power four 210,000 DWT Newcastlemax ore carriers being built for Polaris Shipping at Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co. in China. The vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2031.

“Shipowners are looking for flexible solutions to help them meet their decarbonisation goals without compromising on reliability, safety or financial stability,” said Dr Carmelo Cartalemi, head of strategic marketing at WinGD.

The X72DF-M1.0 platform is designed to operate on both methanol and ethanol, allowing Polaris Shipping to choose between the fuels according to availability, pricing and regulatory requirements throughout the vessels’ operating lives.

WinGD will also provide dedicated service and lifecycle support for the alternative fuels, helping the owner and crew build operational expertise while optimising maintenance and performance.

Polaris Shipping said the dual-fuel capability would give its charterers greater choice rather than forcing the company to predict which fuel will prove most competitive years from now.

“Fuel availability and economics will continue to evolve over the lifetime of these vessels,” the company said. “Selecting an engine platform that gives us access to both methanol and ethanol means we can provide to our charterers a greater choice in how the ships are operated in the future.”

The order strengthens WinGD’s growing alternative-fuel portfolio, which spans LNG, methanol, ethanol and ammonia propulsion technologies.

Beihai Shipyard is also collaborating with WinGD on ammonia-fuelled engines for CMB.TECH’s new 210,000 DWT dry bulk carriers, highlighting the yard’s expanding involvement in alternative-fuel vessel construction.

The four new ore carriers will combine Newcastlemax capacity with propulsion technology designed to keep fuel choices open well into the next decade.