Everllence and Vale have signed a cooperation agreement to develop ethanol as a marine fuel. Vale is one of the world’s largest iron ore, copper and nickel producers and Brazil’s biggest logistics operators.
The companies will develop an advanced ethanol-powered engine based on the Everllence B&W ME-LGI platform. The Liquid Gas Injection technology is well-proven. The initiative aims to provide a sustainable alternative to conventional fossil-fuel engines.
Ethanol offers several advantages. The fuel achieves life-cycle carbon neutrality and reduces emissions compared to fossil fuels. It contains no sulphur and has very low toxicity. Ethanol is biodegradable and water-soluble. The fuel remains liquid at ambient temperatures and pressures. This allows use of standardized bunkering and onboard handling procedures.
The agreement aligns with Vale’s multifuel strategy. The mining giant aims to increase fleet flexibility and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Christian Ludwig, Vice President and Head of Global Sales at Everllence, said Vale is widely recognized as a strong advocate for ethanol as an energy-transition fuel. Brazil and China are expected to be key markets for the collaboration. “This agreement represents a milestone for the decarbonization journey of large-scale shipping,” he stated.
Everllence demonstrated its ethanol capabilities in 2025. The company successfully ran a 90-bore two-stroke ME-LGIM engine on ethanol at all load points in Japan in September. It achieved the same result with a four-stroke 21/31 dual-fuel GenSet in Denmark in December.
Ole Pyndt Hansen, Senior Vice President of Two-Stroke R&D at Everllence, said the company’s R&D team recently completed a two-week engine testing campaign in Japan. The new data reinforces confidence in ethanol-based solutions. The company is expanding technical pathways to incorporate G70 and G80 engine platforms.
Everllence has multiple dual-fuel technologies in service. An ammonia-powered engine is close to commercial maturity.
