MAN Energy Solutions - Experts & Thought Leaders

MAN Energy Solutions has announced the successful retrofit of the main engine of the ‘Maersk Halifax’ to a dual-fuel MAN B&W ME-LGIM unit. MAN PrimeServ, MAN Energy Solutions’ after-sales division, carried out the work, the first such project globally involving a VLCV (Very Large Container Vessel). The 15,000 teu vessel entered service in 2017 and was originally powered by an MAN B&W 8G95ME-C9.5 prime mover. The retrofit to an 8G95ME-LGIM Mk10.5 engine enables the Maersk Halifax to operate on green methanol, making it possible to reduce its CO2 emissions by 90%. Vessel’s engine-control system The retrofit also included an upgrade to the vessel’s engine-control system to MAN Energy Solutions’ latest Triton system. Following the completion of sea-trials, Maersk Halifax has returned to operation and is now servicing A.P. Moller-Maersk’s (Maersk) Trans-Pacific trade. Leonardo Sonzio, Head of Fleet Management and Technology at Maersk, said: "Since we set the ambitious climate goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2040, we have explored the potential in retrofitting existing vessels with dual-fuel engines. In the coming year, we will take learnings from this first conversion of a large vessel. Retrofits of existing vessels can be an important alternative to new builds in our transition from fossil fuels to low-emission fuels." Reduce CO2 emissions Maersk has already placed a preorder for MAN PrimeServ to convert an additional 10 vessels The Halifax retrofit is expected to serve as a blueprint for future retrofit projects. Indeed, Maersk has already placed a preorder for MAN PrimeServ to convert an additional 10 vessels from its fleet to methanol operation. Michael Petersen, Senior Vice President and Head of PrimeServ Denmark, praised the project collaboration with Maersk and Asia Pacific and said: "Retrofits are one of the five growth areas identified in MAN Energy Solutions’ ‘Moving Big Things To Zero’ strategy, enabling shipowners to drastically reduce CO2 emissions without having to commission newbuilds. Retrofitted engines are able to switch between fuels with minimal disruption, flexibility that is crucial for maintaining operational efficiency and reliability." Shipping towards decarbonisation Michael Petersen added: "At PrimeServ, we estimate that more than 4,000 existing marine engines have the potential to be converted to operation on green fuels like e-methanol and e-methane." Speaking at a recent event at Asia Pacific Dockyard in Zhoushan to mark the project’s conclusion, Sarath Prasannan, Senior Vice President and Head of Region Asia Pacific, said: "This groundbreaking project marks a pivotal moment in the shipping industry's journey towards decarbonisation. We hope that China's policies and infrastructure will continue to foster an environment where shipyards can carry forward this commendable work."

New Corsican 130 MW power plant to feature 8 × MAN 18V51/60 engines optimised to run on 100% liquid biomass fuel of plant origin. A consortium comprising MAN Energy Solutions and EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction) specialist, Bonatti, has signed a contract with EDF PEI – a 100% subsidiary of EDF (Électricité de France SA) that builds and operates power-generation facilities in the French overseas departments and regions, and Corsica. The contract covers the construction and maintenance of a new power plant at Ricanto, near Ajaccio, which will replace the aging Le Vazzio plant in late 2027/early 2028. Optimum performance and efficiency The contract covers the construction and maintenance of a new power plant at Ricanto, near Ajaccio The plant will be equipped with 8 × MAN 18V51/60 engines and have a total capacity of 130 MW with which to supply the Corsican power grid. Speaking at the contract-signing ceremony on September 6th 2024, Uwe Lauber – CEO of MAN Energy Solutions – said: “We are proud to be involved in this project with Bonatti, which will help reduce CO2 emissions from power generation in Corsica. The Ricanto power plant will play an essential role in guaranteeing Corsica's energy security while significantly minimising its ecological impact. MAN 18V51/60 engines are specially designed to accommodate running on liquid biomass with optimum performance and efficiency.” Additionally, MAN PrimeServ – the after-sales brand of MAN Energy Solutions that already provides maintenance for several, existing EDF-PEI power plants – will provide maintenance for 25 years for the future Ricanto bioenergy plant. The long-term service agreement includes provision for spare parts, major maintenance, technical services and training modules for EDF-PEI personnel.

The Nordic Roadmap project has unveiled the Fuel Transition Roadmap for Nordic Shipping (‘the Roadmap’), a comprehensive document outlining a decarbonisation strategy for the region. The report urges Nordic ministers to take immediate action to support the industry in achieving its goals by closing the cost gap associated with the fuel transition. Its findings and recommendations were officially presented to Nordic ministers at a High-Level Conference on Green Shipping in the Nordic Region held in Copenhagen. Net-zero emissions by 2050 The Nordic countries have also pledged to meet ambitious regional climate targets for shipping Alongside their commitment to global maritime emission reduction targets set by the IMO, the Nordic countries have also pledged to meet ambitious regional climate targets for shipping. These include early commitments to net-zero emissions by 2050, advancing a sustainable ocean economy and green transition, cooperation on transport, infrastructure and energy supply, and the establishment of green shipping corridors. Three main barriers To decarbonise, shipping will need to switch to zero-emission fuels and the Roadmap strategy identifies three main barriers to their uptake in the region: Demand and costs – linked to the lack of demand for zero-emission shipping and cost-competitiveness of zero-emission fuels.  Fuel availability – referring to the lack of onshore development of the supply chain, including fuel production and sourcing of raw materials, distribution, and bunkering infrastructure.  Technology and safety – referring to the low maturity level of fuel technologies and safety regulations, both onshore and onboard vessels. Use of zero-emission fuels The report goes on to outline seven building blocks, broken down further into 20 specific actions to be taken towards 2030, to overcome the interlinked barriers. These represent specific work packages that governments and industry stakeholders must collaborate and work on in parallel to upscale the use of zero-emission fuels.  The key recommendations of the Roadmap highlight the urgent need for government action to bridge the cost gap for zero-emission fuels and to accelerate the implementation of competitive tenders for green shipping corridors. Green transition of blue economy An immediate priority is to develop a plan for the regional integration of fuel production and infrastructure The strategy envisions the first corridor becoming operational by 2025, followed by three more by 2026, and an additional six by the end of 2028. An immediate priority is to develop a plan for the regional integration of fuel production and infrastructure.  Ms. Ida Heimann Larsen, Deputy Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, said: "The Nordic Council of Ministers is proud to have helped bring about this comprehensive and ambitious public-private cooperation. And we will continue to support the advancement of the 7 key building blocks of the Road Map as part of a wider, cross-sectoral focus on the green transition of our blue economy. These are important stepping stones on our path towards making the Nordic region the most sustainable in the world." Decarbonisation targets Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO Maritime, DNV, said: "We call on Nordic governments to act swiftly on the urgent measures identified in the Fuel Transition Roadmap for Nordic Shipping. Doing so will give the industry confidence to invest in ships capable of running on zero-emission fuels, and the fuel infrastructure needed to support them." Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen adds, "Cross border and value chain collaboration will be crucial in enabling the industry to overcome key barriers and to meet the ambitious decarbonisation targets. By pioneering the way, the Nordics can not only drive value creation and boost exports but can also play a key role in the global fuel transition." Adoption of zero-emission fuels Bjarne Foldager, Senior Vice President and Head of Two-Stroke Business, Denmark, MAN Energy Solutions, said: "This Roadmap is a worthy initiative and, in tandem with other global decarbonisation efforts, represents a concrete way for Nordic shipping to collaborate and push decarbonisation through – among other parameters – the adoption of zero-emission fuels and green corridors." Bjarne Foldager adds, "At MAN Energy Solutions, we welcome the opportunity to work with like-minded partners and are more than happy to bring our expertise within marine propulsion and alternative fuels to the table in the pursuit of net zero." Zero-emission shipping The Roadmap is developed by the project team led by DNV with members from MAN Energy Solutions, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Chalmers University of Technology, Menon Economics, and Litehauz, and in collaboration with more than 60 industry partners. The Nordic Roadmap project started in 2022 and is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. It aims to reduce key barriers to the uptake of zero-emission fuels and develop a common roadmap for the whole Nordic region towards zero-emission shipping. 

As regulations on emissions become more stringent, more companies and organisations in the maritime industry will likely start to use methanol as a cleaner and more sustainable fuel. Methanol Methanol is a promising alternative fuel for the maritime industry due to its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy security, and improve air quality. The future of methanol as a maritime fuel depends on several factors, including regulatory policies, technological advancements, and the availability and cost of methanol. Production One of the main advantages of methanol as a maritime fuel is that it can be produced from a variety of renewable and non-renewable sources, such as natural gas, coal, and biomass. Methanol can be produced using CCU technologies, which can help reduce the carbon footprint Methanol can also be produced using carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) technologies, which can help reduce the carbon footprint of the maritime industry. In addition, methanol is relatively easy to transport and store, making it an attractive option for use in marine vessels.  Availability  Methanol can be stored at room temperature and can be transported using existing infrastructure, such as pipelines and tankers. The availability of methanol at ports is an issue. In 2020, the Methanol Institute confirmed that methanol is already available in more than 100 ports around the globe and that 47 of those ports have storage facilities of over 50,000 metric tons. A further 66 ports are also storing methanol. Use of methanol in reducing GHGs Methanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet new emissions regulations when used as a marine fuel in various ways, including: Blending with marine diesel oil (MDO): Methanol can be blended with MDO to produce Methyl Diesel Fuel (MDF). MDF can be used in compression ignition engines that typically run on MDO or heavy fuel oil. Direct injection: Methanol can also be used as a direct injection fuel. In this case, methanol is injected into the engine’s combustion chamber and burned as the primary fuel. Methanol can be used in both spark-ignited and compression-ignited engines. Dual-fuel engines: Methanol can also be used in dual-fuel engines. In this case, methanol is injected into the combustion chamber along with another fuel, such as diesel. Diesel acts as the pilot fuel to ignite the methanol, which is burned as the primary fuel. Pros and cons Methanol is highly toxic and flammable, so it requires careful handling and storage to ensure safety One advantage of using methanol as a maritime fuel is that it has a high-octane rating, which can improve engine performance. Methanol is also relatively easy to produce, and it can be made from renewable sources such as biomass. However, methanol is highly toxic and flammable, so it requires careful handling and storage to ensure safety. Environmental benefits Methanol has several environmental advantages over traditional maritime fuels such as heavy fuel oil and marine diesel oil. These advantages include: Lower greenhouse gas emissions: Methanol has a lower carbon content than traditional maritime fuels, which means it produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions when burned. Methanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 15% compared to traditional fuels. Reduced air pollution: Methanol also produces fewer emissions of harmful air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) when burned. Methanol can reduce NOx emissions by up to 60% and PM emissions by up to 95% compared to traditional fuels. Biodegradability: Methanol is biodegradable, which means it can break down naturally in the environment. This is important in case of any accidental spills or leaks that may occur during fuel handling and transportation. Renewable source: Methanol can be produced from renewable sources such as biomass, which means it can be a sustainable alternative to traditional maritime fuels. Energy efficiency: Methanol has a high energy content per unit of weight, which means it can provide more energy per unit of fuel compared to traditional fuels. This can lead to improved energy efficiency and lower fuel consumption. Maritime applications Stena Line has converted one of its ferries, the Stena Germanica, to run on methanol Overall, using methanol as a maritime fuel can help reduce the shipping industry's environmental impact and promote more sustainable and responsible practices. Several companies and organisations have started using methanol for maritime applications. Stena Line, a Swedish ferry operator, has converted one of its ferries, the Stena Germanica, to run on methanol. The ferry operates between Kiel, Germany, and Gothenburg, Sweden. Nominal capacity In addition, Maersk Line, the world's largest container shipping company, has announced plans to use methanol as a marine fuel. In October 2022, Maersk announced it has ordered a further six large ocean-going vessels that can sail on green methanol. The six vessels will be built by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and have a nominal capacity of approximately 17,000 containers (Twenty Foot Equivalent - TEU). They will replace the existing capacity in the Maersk fleet. With the order, Maersk has in total ordered 19 vessels with dual-fuel engines able to operate on green methanol.  Methanol engines MAN Energy Solutions, a provider of marine engines, has developed methanol engines for use in maritime applications. The engines can be used in both propulsion and auxiliary power applications. Methanol-based two- and four-stroke solutions will be relevant for the complete MAN Energy Solutions marine engine portfolio. Typical examples of the application of four-stroke engines include container ships, ferries, fishing or cruise vessels, as well as offshore solutions. Future adoption  Adoption of methanol will depend on cost, availability, and the development of regulatory frameworks Stationary solutions might also be a possible area for methanol applications, for example, for small islands that lack natural gas infrastructure. However, the wider adoption of methanol as a maritime fuel will depend on several factors, including the cost of methanol production, the availability of methanol infrastructure, and the development of regulatory frameworks to support its use.  Nevertheless, the future of methanol as a maritime fuel looks promising, as it offers a potential solution to the maritime industry's environmental and energy security challenges. Flexible in use Battery electric propulsion is another potential alternative to traditional maritime fuels, but it is limited by the current state of battery technology, which makes it difficult to achieve long-distance, large-scale shipping operations. Methanol can offer a longer range and greater flexibility than battery electric propulsion while still reducing emissions. Overall, while methanol is not a perfect solution, it offers several advantages over other maritime fuels and has the potential to play a significant role in reducing the environmental impact of the shipping industry.