Polaris Expands Fleet with Ethanol- and Methanol-Ready Bulkers

South Korean shipowner Polaris Shipping has signed a contract with Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding and China Shipbuilding Trading Co for four bulk carriers capable of running on ethanol or methanol.

The 210,000 DWT Newcastlemax bulk carriers will be fitted with engines developed by WinGD, suitable for running on methanol, ethanol or conventional marine fuels, the company said in a press release last week.

The order comes as shipowners explore ethanol as another option alongside methanol.

Ship & Bunker has reported several recent ethanol bunkering operations involving methanol-fuelled container ships operated by A.P. Moller-Maersk and CMA CGM.

Polaris plans to use ethanol as primary fuel, which it claims can reduce GHG emissions by about 90% compared to heavy fuel oil.

The ships will also be fitted with rotor sails for wind-assisted propulsion, along with other energy-saving technologies.

Polaris has signed a 25-year transportation contract with Brazilian mining company Vale for the four vessels.

These ships are also suitable to conversion to LNG or ammonia propulsion.