Germany | September 25, 2025 – In a historic step toward maritime decarbonisation, Everllence has achieved the world’s first successful conversion of an Everllence B&W S90 two-stroke engine to dual-fuel methanol operation, proven through sea trials aboard COSCO Shipping Lines’ 20,000+ TEU container vessel, COSCO LIBRA.
The vessel’s 11S90ME-C engine has been retrofitted to an 11S90ME-LGIM (Liquid Gas Injection Methanol) configuration—marking a technological breakthrough that demonstrates the feasibility of methanol as a viable large-scale marine fuel solution.
Successful sea trial marks a major decarbonisation milestone and opens the door for large-bore methanol retrofits across global fleets.
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Full-Scope Retrofit by Everllence PrimeServ and CHI
The landmark conversion project was delivered through a close partnership between Everllence PrimeServ—Everllence’s after-sales division—and COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (CHI). Everllence PrimeServ managed the full scope of the project, covering:
- Engineering and design
- Project management
- Installation and commissioning
- Final sea-trials
To ensure the technical readiness of this ‘first-ever’ large-bore retrofit, Everllence invested in a dedicated 4S90 testbed engine in Japan, which was commissioned earlier in 2025. This testbed provided crucial validation of the S90 engine’s methanol performance under real operating conditions, accelerating its deployment onto the commercial vessel.
Decarbonisation on the Horizon: A Trustworthy Path Forward
Michael Petersen, Senior Vice President and Head of Everllence PrimeServ, Denmark, emphasised the strategic importance of the collaboration and the retrofit’s broader impact.
“We’re proud to support COSCO Shipping Lines and COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry – and the maritime industry as a whole — in taking this significant step toward decarbonising shipping,” stated Petersen. “This milestone highlights COSCO Shipping Lines’ role as a first mover and presents a practical path for reducing emissions from Everllence S90 engine vessels.”
Petersen further highlighted Everllence’s proven capability in delivering large-scale alternative fuel projects: “It also showcases Everllence’s capability to deliver large-scale retrofit projects. With 26 dual-fuel conversions already completed and an even larger pipeline across various alternative fuels, shipowners can trust Everllence to deliver retrofit solutions at scale.”
Unlocking a Substantial Market Opportunity
Looking beyond the success of the COSCO Shipping LIBRA, Everllence believes the project proves the technical and commercial viability of methanol as a marine fuel, opening the door to a substantial market for similar retrofits.
There are currently over 300 vessels worldwide equipped with S90-class engines, all of which are now potential candidates for this type of large-bore engine conversion.
“While the journey toward full decarbonisation will require collaboration across the industry, this achievement demonstrates that large-scale conversions are both technically proven and commercially viable,” Petersen concluded. “This opens a practical pathway towards accelerating the maritime energy transition together with our customers.”
The project firmly cements COSCO Shipping Lines’ commitment to sustainable practices, including the adoption of alternative fuels and energy-efficient technologies, advancing the industry towards a net-zero future.
Driving the Maritime Energy Transition
As global shipping pursues International Maritime Organization (IMO) targets for 2030 and 2050, Everllence’s achievement with the COSCO SHIPPING LIBRA underscores the potential of retrofitting existing fleets to meet carbon reduction goals—without waiting for entirely newbuild solutions.
By enabling methanol operations on large-bore two-stroke engines, the company has set a new benchmark for decarbonisation scalability, technical innovation, and commercial readiness.
Why Methanol?
Methanol is increasingly seen as one of the most promising alternative fuels for marine decarbonisation due to several key advantages:
- Compatibility with existing infrastructure: Methanol can be handled using existing bunkering systems with minimal adaptation.
- Scalability: Methanol is already being produced at scale, and green methanol projects are accelerating globally.
- Regulatory readiness: Methanol propulsion aligns well with IMO 2030 and 2050 decarbonisation targets.
About COSCO Shipping Lines
COSCO SHIPPING Container Lines Co., Ltd. operates one of the world’s largest and most modern container fleets. The company is a global leader in sustainable shipping practices, focusing on the adoption of alternative fuels, energy-efficient technologies, and green supply-chain solutions. Projects like the COSCO SHIPPING LIBRA conversion reflect its strong commitment to achieving a net-zero future.
About COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (CHI)
COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry operates nine advanced subsidiary shipyards supported by dedicated research and development centres, employing over 2,500 professional designers and 10,000 skilled technicians. The company is at the forefront of developing intelligent, green, and high-end shipbuilding solutions, aligning with the global drive toward cleaner maritime operations.
About Everllence
Everllence (formerly MAN Energy Solutions) is a global leader in decarbonization and propulsion systems for shipping, energy, and industry. Headquartered in Germany, the company’s portfolio spans advanced engine technology, climate-neutral fuel retrofits, carbon capture, hydrogen systems, and industrial heat pumps. Through its subsidiary Quest One, Everllence also supports green hydrogen production at scale. With 15,000 employees across more than 140 sites worldwide, Everllence’s service arm, Everllence PrimeServ, provides global after-sales support.
Source Everllence