Ethanol push accelerates

The aim is to transform ethanol’s market potential into commercial reality and establish it as a cornerstone of the sustainable marine fuel mix.

Sylvain Zurcher, co-founder and president of the GEA, says ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH) has many advantages:

Ethanol is produced in large volumes globally, especially in the US, Brazil, and Europe, with supply sufficient to support near-term maritime demand. It also offers a lower price point and higher energy content compared to methanol.

Ethanol is compatible with existing methanol dual-fuel marine engines and can be implemented with only minor recalibrations, specifically ethanol optimized injection valves and software updates. It can also be bunkered and handled using existing terminals and safety protocols.

Whether derived from crops, waste, or lignocellulosic biomass, ethanol offers very low lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. It also delivers clean combustion, reducing pollutants like NOₓ, SOₓ and particulate matter.

Compared to methanol, ethanol carries lower toxicity making it safer.

Fuel-grade ethanol production is nearly 95 million tons per annum, enough to accommodate foreseeable maritime uptake. Additionally, bunkering ethanol can leverage existing fuel terminals and logistics systems, which helps reduce deployment costs and speed up adoption.

“Organizations like the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) and countries like Brazil are engaging with IMO and ISO to promote lifecycle assessments, develop marine fuel standards, and update relevant codes (e.g., IGF Code) to integrate ethanol-specific safety and operational considerations,” says Morten Jacobsen, GEA secretary general.

Tankers, container feeder, passenger shipping, and offshore vessels are likely to be early adopters, says Jacobsen, due to closer port intervals, strong sustainability mandates, and frequent port rotations. This makes bunkering and trials more practical and impactful.

The combination of FuelEU Maritime and the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is acting as a strong catalyst for early ethanol uptake in Europe, he says. These regulations create clear financial and compliance incentives for shipowners to switch to low-carbon fuels, making Europe one of the leading regions for demonstrating ethanol’s potential.

“Because ethanol can be used in engines designed for methanol with only minor adjustments, several large shipowning companies are already conducting trials in collaboration with leading engine makers such as WinGD. This ensures that ethanol can leverage existing methanol dual-fuel platforms, accelerating deployment at scale.”

The Global Ethanol Association is currently in talks with ethanol producers in Brazil and other regions to establish light green corridors for ethanol bunkering. These corridors will serve as early deployment routes, connecting major production hubs with strategic trade lanes and showcasing ethanol’s scalability as a marine fuel.

Mark Smith, Loss Prevention Director – NNE and Decarbonisation at the insurer NorthStandard, says it is likely that there will not be enough biodiesel to meet the demand created by FuelEU maritime and IMO ZNZ strategy, so ethanol is an option worth considering for many ship operators.

However, he notes that its energy density is about half that of fossil fuels and 40% lower than biodiesels. This could reduce operational range. Safety issues include ethanol’s low flashpoint. “Handling ethanol fires is different to hydrocarbon fires and requires specialised fire-fighting equipment, procedures and personal protection equipment.”

 Everllence confirms ethanol performance on ME-LGIM platform

Everllence has confirmed the successful running on ethanol – at all load points – of a 90-bore ME-LGIM (-Liquid Gas Injection Methanol) engine in Japan.

There are now over 225 ME-LGIM units ordered newbuildings and more than 50 engines in operation already, and the testing means Everllence now has a fully operational engine with which to document ethanol capabilities.

Michael Petersen – Senior Vice President, Head of PrimeServ Denmark – Everllence, said: “The successful conclusion of running in Japan means that we are now significantly closer to offering ethanol as retrofit product, especially on the S90 engines already equipped with ME-LGIM engine technology.”

Ethanol-ready PSVs

Last year, Brazil’s CMM has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Wärtsilä to develop a series of PSVs powered by ethanol. The MoU follows Wärtsilä’s testing using ethanol as the primary fuel in a full-scale Wärtsilä 32 engine. Kongsberg Maritime has been selected to deliver advanced ship design and technology for six PSVs. Once upgraded to ethanol fuel, the vessels will reduce carbon emissions by up to 70%.