Maersk’s boxships to feature world’s largest methanol dual-fuel engines

German engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions has been contracted to supply eight methanol dual-fuel engines for new Maersk’s containerships.

In connection to the latest eight-ship order of the Danish shipping giant Maersk, Hyundai’s Ship-Building Division, HHI-SBD, has ordered eight MAN’s B&W 8G95ME liquid gas injection methanol (LGIM) engines.

The 16,000 TEU units will be built by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), while the engines are to be built by HHI’s subdivision, Hyundai Engine & Machinery Division, HHI-EMD.

The order contains an option for a further four engines with the first of the confirmed vessels due to enter service in the first quarter of 2024.

“This is a massive milestone as these engines will be the largest methanol-burning engines ever constructed,” Bjarne Foldager, Senior Vice President and Head of Two-Stroke Business, MAN Energy Solutions, said.

“They will be based on their well-proven 50-bore counterpart, which has already been in our engine portfolio for some time gathering more than 100,000 running hours on methanol alone.”

“As a fuel, methanol is quickly becoming an option within the large container-vessel segment where – up until now – conventional fuel and LNG have long reigned. We expect that this significant order will spur further market interest in methanol as a fuel, also within other ship segments such as bulkers,” Thomas S. Hansen, Head of Promotion and Customer Support, MAN Energy Solutions, commented.

The company also stated that the new engines will be capable of burning bio-methanol as well as e-methanol.

The new order closely follows the one when MAN Energy Solutions was contracted to supply the world’s first, low-speed, dual-fuel engine to run on methanol within the container segment – a MAN B&W 6G50ME-LGIM type built by HHI-EMD.

The order was placed for a 2,100-TEU vessel by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard for Maersk.

Both the methanol-fueled feeder vessel and the decision to install dual-fuel engines on future newbuildings are part of Maersk’s ongoing fleet replacement plans.

In line with its decarbonization strategy, Maersk aims to have commercially viable, net-zero vessels on the water by 2030, and to deliver a 60% relative reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to 2008 levels.