MAN Energy Solutions reveals world’s most powerful methanol engine

Ship engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions has developed the world’s most powerful two-stroke methanol engine.

The engine, rated at 82,440kW at 80rpm, is currently being built by Chinese licensee CSSC-MES Diesel.

This will be the first engine of 12 bound for a series of a dozen 24,000 teu container vessels currently under construction – seven at Nantong COSCO KHI Ship Engineering for Orient Overseas Container Line and five at Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering for COSCO Shipping Lines. The company will deliver the first engine in June 2025.

Each engine will also feature MAN Energy Solutions’ exhaust gas recirculation turbocharger cutout emissions system, the largest two-string EGR system on a two-stroke engine to date.

“By harnessing the potential of methanol, we are bringing the maritime industry closer to zero-emission solutions, and we fully expect methanol to figure prominently as a future fuel across all segments,” said Bjarne Foldager, head of two-stroke business at MAN Energy Solutions.

To date, between newbuild engines and retrofits, the company-built engines have accumulated over 600,000 hours running on methanol alone.

“As we move towards a multi-fuel future, interest in methanol has grown steadily. While methanol produced from renewable sources is an attractive marine-fuel option due to its low carbon intensity, an engine using green methanol can even provide carbon-neutral propulsion,” added Christian Ludwig, head of two-stroke sales and promotion at MAN Energy Solutions.