Insight Focus
Ethanol is gaining momentum in the maritime fuel transition. Maersk has successfully completed its first fully ethanol-powered voyage and expanded trials across multiple blends, demonstrating emissions reductions and strong engine performance. Alongside WinGD’s first commercial ethanol engine orders, these developments signal the growing viability of ethanol as a scalable low-carbon marine fuel.
Maersk Trials Boost Ethanol Shipping Potential
In recent years, the maritime transportation industry has been searching for ways to lower its impact on global warming, given its heavy reliance on bunker fuel derived from heavy crude oil. Ethanol appears to be an increasingly attractive fuel that can help ocean transportation businesses lower their carbon footprint.
Maersk, the world’s largest marine shipping company, has marked a significant milestone in maritime decarbonisation after successfully completing its first sailing powered entirely by ethanol during the first quarter of 2026.
The trial was conducted using sustainably sourced ethanol, which offered a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional marine fuels. According to Maersk, the fuel performed reliably throughout the journey, providing valuable operational insights that will inform future deployments across its global fleet.
The voyage demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to exploring scalable, lower-emission fuel solutions as the shipping industry accelerates efforts to reduce its environmental impact.
Note: As of December 2025, based on announced startup dates.
Source: GENA Solutions, IMO
In October and November last year, Copenhagen-based Maersk conducted a trial involving a 10% ethanol / 90% e-methanol blend, confirming that ethanol can be safely and effectively integrated into the fuel mix. The test underscores the potential to create greater optionality for Maersk’s dual-fuel methanol fleet, essentially enabling dual-fuel alcohol vessels.
“At Maersk, we believe multiple fuel pathways are essential for the shipping industry to meet its climate ambitions,” said Emma Mazhari, head of energy markets. “That means consciously exploring different options and technologies.”
“Ethanol has a proven track record, with an established market and existing infrastructure, and offers an additional pathway for decarbonisation,” Mazhari continued. “By gradually increasing ethanol content, we gain valuable insights into engine performance and combustion impacts, informing fuel sourcing potential.”
Also in October, Maersk tested a blend of Brazilian ethanol with methanol and marine diesel. The initiative could open a new market for Brazil’s ethanol industry while helping to reduce the maritime shipping sector’s carbon footprint, which currently accounts for about 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Source: RFA
According to Maersk, the fuel blend ignited and burned as efficiently as pure methanol, with no degradation in engine efficiency, reliability or safety. Key parameters, including ignition stability, combustion efficiency and lubricity, were validated, confirming that ethanol can be introduced into the fuel mix without compromising engine performance.
Maersk said it will now test an E50 blend with methanol. This represents a dramatic shift in fuel composition and will be far more technically challenging. The company has also confirmed plans to proceed to a 100% ethanol trial, marking ethanol as a serious candidate within its future green fuel portfolio.
Ethanol Engines Gain Commercial Traction
In another development, Swiss engine maker WinGD has taken the first commercial orders for ethanol-powered ocean-going engines, adapted from its methanol platform, for two Vale-chartered ore carriers transporting iron ore from Brazil to China.
These will be the first engines designed primarily to run on ethanol for installation on oceangoing ships. They are to be installed on two 325,000 dwt very large ore carriers (VLOCs), to be built at China’s Beihai Shipbuilding for Shandong Shipping Corporation, and are likely to be delivered by early 2029. Options in the contract will allow more engines to be built if the two-ship series is extended.
The six-cylinder, 820mm-bore 6X82DF-M/E engines will provide fuel flexibility, with the possibility of operating on ethanol, methanol or marine gasoil. WinGD said that fuel flexibility is now offered across its diesel-cycle two-stroke engine range, including the ammonia-fuelled X-DF-A and high-pressure LNG-fuelled X-DF-HP platforms.
