MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES) has announced a groundbreaking milestone: the upcoming delivery of the world’s most powerful two-stroke methanol engine, scheduled for June.
The engine, designated the MAN B&W 12G95ME-C10.5-LGIM (Liquid Gas Injection Methanol), boasts an impressive output of 82,440 kW at 80 rpm. It is currently under construction by MAN’s Chinese licensee, CSSC-MES Diesel Co., Ltd. (CMD).
This pioneering engine is the first of twelve units destined for a new fleet of 12 × 24,000 TEU container vessels. Seven of these vessels are being built at Nantong COSCO KHI Ship Engineering (NACKS) for Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), while the remaining five are under construction at Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering (DACKS) for COSCO Shipping Lines.
Each engine will incorporate MAN Energy Solutions’ proprietary EGRTC (Exhaust Gas Recirculation Turbocharger Cut-out) emissions system, the largest two-string EGR system ever installed on a two-stroke engine, reinforcing the company’s commitment to advanced environmental technologies.
Bjarne Foldager, Head of Two-Stroke Business at MAN Energy Solutions, emphasized the company’s vision: “Our ambition to ‘Move Big Things to Zero’ drives our continuous innovation in engine technologies designed for future fuels. The launch of the world’s most powerful methanol engine exemplifies this commitment. By leveraging methanol, we are accelerating the maritime industry’s transition toward zero-emission solutions. We fully anticipate methanol to become a key fuel across all shipping sectors.”
He extended gratitude to CMD, OOCL, and COSCO Shipping, recognizing these partners’ crucial roles in achieving this landmark.
Christian Ludwig, Head of Two-Stroke Sales and Promotion at MAN Energy Solutions, highlighted the growing momentum behind methanol as a marine fuel. “Interest in methanol has steadily increased as the shipping industry embraces a multi-fuel future. To date, we have secured over 230 ME-LGIM engine orders—covering newbuilds and retrofits—with more than 600,000 operating hours logged on methanol.”
Ludwig noted that with a decade of proven ME-LGIM technology in operation, MAN Energy Solutions has demonstrated its capacity to deliver reliable, cutting-edge solutions supporting shipping’s carbon transition. He further underscored that methanol produced from renewable sources offers a low-carbon marine fuel alternative. “When paired with green methanol, our engines can achieve fully carbon-neutral propulsion, amplifying the environmental advantages of the ME-LGIM platform.”
The ME-LGIM dual-fuel engine, developed by MAN Energy Solutions, can run on both methanol and conventional fuels. Built on the company’s trusted ME-series platform—which boasts around 8,500 engines in service worldwide—it operates on the Diesel principle. When fueled by green methanol, the engine provides a carbon-neutral propulsion solution tailored for large merchant vessels, marking a significant advance in sustainable maritime transport.