Swiss marine power company WinGD on Thursday (10 September) said it has won a contract that will give Polaris Shipping true fuel flexibility for its future Newcastlemax fleet with an order of four X72DF-M-1.0 engines that can operate on methanol and ethanol. 

The ability to operate on either fuel gives Polaris Shipping greater flexibility to respond to changes in fuel availability, pricing and regulatory requirements over the vessels’ operating lives and is a key benefit of WinGD’s alcohol-fuel engine platform.

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

Dr. Carmelo Cartalemi, Head of Strategic Marketing, WinGD, said “Shipowners are looking for flexible solutions to help them meet their decarbonisation goals without compromising on reliability, safety or financial stability. 

“Our alcohol-fuel engine platform enables ships to operate on either ethanol or methanol, giving shipowners and managers the option to select the fuel that best fits their operational and commercial requirements. With fuel markets and regulations continuing to evolve, that flexibility can be a valuable asset over the lifetime of a vessel.”

The X72DF-M1.0 can run on methanol and ethanol. This provides flexibility between the two fuels, while maintaining compliance with the regulatory requirements applicable to both fuels.

WinGD will also provide dedicated service and lifecycle support for the new alcohol fuels, helping shipowners and operators build familiarity with the technology, optimise operation and maintenance, and adopt methanol and ethanol propulsion in a safe and economically sustainable way

Polaris Shipping, said: “Fuel availability and economics will continue to evolve over the lifetime of these vessels. Selecting an engine platform that gives us access to both methanol and ethanol means we can provide to our charter a greater choice in how the ships are operated in the future, rather than having to predict today which fuel will be most competitive in the years ahead. 

“We’re investing for the long-term, and this engine choice gives us the confidence to do that.”

The order adds to WinGD orderbook of alternative fuel engine technology, which now spans LNG, methanol, ethanol and ammonia. Beihai Shipyard is also working with WinGD on the installation of its ammonia-fuelled engine for CMB TECH’s newbuild 210,000 dwt dry bulk carriers. 

Photo credit: WinGD
Published: 11 September, 2026

Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) on Friday (4 September) announced the naming and delivery of three new LNG dual-fuel Newcastlemax bulk carriers from China’s Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding. 

Cyril Ducau, CEO of EPS, said the vessels were named Mount Victoria, Mount Yulong and Mount Wuyi. 

The three vessels are the third, fourth and fifth in the company’s series of 14 Newcastlemaxes being built at the yard, and were delivered five months ahead of their contracted delivery dates.

“A big thank you to CSSC Group and Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding, working alongside our EPS team, for the tremendous collaboration and commitment behind this achievement,” Ducau said in a social media post.  

Photo credit: Eastern Pacific Shipping
Published: 7 September, 2026

Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) on Thursday (3 September) said it has awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) to CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. for a new 12,500 m³ LNG bunkering vessel design.

The AiP was signed at SMM 2026 in Hamburg and confirms that the vessel concept has successfully completed an independent design assessment against LR’s latest classification requirements.

The new 12,500 m³ vessel design incorporates Type C LNG cargo tanks and has been evaluated against a comprehensive range of class notations covering gas operations, automation, environmental performance and cyber resilience.

LR’s assessment was carried out in accordance with its Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships and Rules and Regulations for the Construction and Classification of Ships for the Carriage of Liquefied Gas in Bulk.

Constantinos Chaelis, LR’s Global Gas Segment Director, said: “This project demonstrates the continued market confidence in LNG and the importance of building the supporting infrastructure that enables owners to make practical emissions reductions today, while maintaining flexibility for the future. Through early engagement between shipyard and class, we can accelerate the delivery of robust designs that meet both operational and regulatory requirements.”

A Huangpu Wenchong spokesperson, said: “This Approval in Principle from Lloyd’s Register validates the technical approach and provides a strong foundation for future development. We believe vessels of this type will play an increasingly important role in supporting the energy transition by helping ensure LNG is available where shipowners need it most.”

Photo credit: Lloyd’s Register
Published: 7 September, 2026