Wärtsilä to supply methanol engines for CMA CGM's newbuilds

Finnish engine maker Wärtsilä will supply methanol-fuelled auxiliary engines for the French shipping company CMA CGM’s upcoming six container vessels.

PHOTO: Methanol-fueled engines. Wartsila

The 15,000 TEU capacity methanol-powered container ships were ordered in April and are being constructed at the Dalian Shipbuilding yard in China. The six vessels will be CMA CGM's first vessels that can run on methanol and the first vessel is expected to be delivered in 2025.

The methanol engines will be of six-cylinder and seven-cylinder configurations, that can run on methanol or other conventional marine fuels, Wärtsilä says. The engines are expected to be delivered by the latter half of 2024, ahead of vessel deliveries in 2025.

The methanol-powered marine fleet is expected to expand rapidly in the coming years, with the orderbook set to grow from 34 in 2024 to 177 in 2028, according to DNV data. Expected rapid growth in the fleet encourages engine manufacturers to cater to the growing market.

Of the 27 methanol ships currently in operation, MAN Energy Solutions is the top engine supplier, followed by Scania and Wärtsilä.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

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