COSCO and Everllence Complete Large Engine Methanol Refit for Containership
The conversion of ships to dual-fuel methanol capabilities continues to gain momentum with COSCO Shipping Lines, the China Classification Society, and Everllence (formerly MAN), working together to undertake the first methanol conversion of a large two-stroke engine. The project was completed in September, and according to Everllence, it opens another pathway for shipowners and operators to move forward with decarbonization initiatives.
Maersk completed the first large containership methanol refit 10 months ago, at China’s Zhoushan shipyard. The Maersk Halifax (15,000 TEU) was rebuilt in 2024, working Everllence, and the vessel returned to service in November 2024.
The COSCO project broke further ground as the first time the Everllence B&W S90 two-stroke engine was converted to dual-fuel methanol capability. The large-bore engine has been a popular choice for many ships, with Everllence highlighting that the project demonstrates the possibilities for further large-bore retrofits. The China Classification Society notes it was their first methanol conversion project, and it was unique as the main and auxiliary engines were simultaneously converted.
The project was carried out on the COSCO Shipping Libra (201,823 dwt), a containership built in China at DSIC in 2018. The ship has a capacity of 20,119 TEU. The conversion lasted more than three months at COSCO Heavy Industries’ yard in Shanghai.
Everllence PrimeServ, the company’s after-market division, was assigned the engineering, project management, installation, commissioning, and overseeing the sea trials. The company highlights that it validated the S90 engine’s methanol performance under real operations before the project on a new testbed engine in Japan.
The vessel was handed back to COSCO on September 25 in Shanghai, marking the completion of the conversion. The Hong Kong-registered vessel is back in service, having departed China, and then Singapore on October 6, bound for Rotterdam. In addition to the conversion projects, COSCO has committed to newbuild containerships equipped for methanol.
Everllence reports it has already completed 26 dual-fuel conversions. It says that with over 300 vessels equipped with S90-class engines, there is a large pool of potential candidates for similar retrofits. DNV on its Alternative Fuels Insights database listed a total of 77 vessels, including 38 containerships, currently equipped to operate on methanol. It reports that a further 365 methanol-fueled vessels are on order for delivery by 2030.
Rolls-Royce Tests First High-Speed Methanol Marine Engine
Rolls-Royce has successfully tested the world’s first high-speed marine engine powered exclusively by methanol on its test bench in Friedrichshafen. Together with their partners in the meOHmare research project, Rolls-Royce engineers have thus reached an important milestone on the road to climate-neutral and environmentally friendly propulsion solutions for shipping.
“This is a genuine world first,” said Dr. Jörg Stratmann, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG. “To date, there is no other high-speed engine in this performance class that runs purely on methanol. We are investing specifically in future technologies in order to open up efficient ways for our customers to reduce CO2 emissions and further expand our leading role in sustainable propulsion systems.”
Rolls-Royce’s goal is to offer customers efficient ways to reduce their CO2 emissions, in-line with the ‘lower carbon’ strategic pillar of its multi-year transformation programme. The project also aligns with the strategic initiative in Power Systems to grow its marine business.
The joint project meOHmare is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and combines the expertise of Rolls-Royce, injection system specialist Woodward L’Orange, and the WTZ Roßlau technology and research center. The goal is to develop a comprehensive concept for a CO2-neutral marine engine based on green methanol by the end of 2025.
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
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