MAN Energy Solutions has announced an agreement with Alfa Laval, the Swedish industrial concern, to develop a methanol fuel-supply solution for MAN four-stroke engines and its fuel-injection technology. As a result, the first four-stroke engine types will be capable of retrofit to methanol operation from 2025.

MAN Energy Solutions and Alfa Laval previously collaborated on decarbonising shipping in 2014 when the very first methanol solution for two-stroke marine engines was in development. To date, this is still the only such system in use at sea with over 150,000 hours of operation.

Viktor Friberg, Head of Marine Separation & Fuel Supply Systems, Alfa Laval, said: “Alfa Laval supports all types of customer at all stages of the fuel transition by adapting our technology to support their choice of engine and fuel. We are proud to cooperate with MAN Energy Solutions in developing this new solution, which follows our long-standing and successful relationship within two-stroke marine engines.”

Bernd Siebert, Head of Retrofit & Upgrades, MAN Energy Solutions, said: “Enabling the switch to low-carbon fuel is a great way to decarbonise the maritime fleet. Now we want to support our customers and make methanol-running just as possible for four-stroke engines.”

Robert Brendel, Head of Project Management, Marine Sales, MAN Energy Solutions, added: “We have great trust in Alfa Laval as a proven partner and as one of the leading fuel-supply system providers with real experience in methanol today.”

Adaptable design

The industry’s leading, low-flashpoint fuel-supply system (LFSS) supplier, Alfa Laval’s role in the project will draw on its adaptable design and the experience gained from over 70 methanol projects, some of which have been in operation since 2016.

In the new venture, Alfa Laval will provide the LFSS itself, as well as the control system, fuel-valve train, and auxiliary functions like the purging system. It will initially design and build a prototype at its facility in Monza, Italy before delivering it for testing on a methanol engine at MAN Energy Solutions facilities in Augsburg, Germany in early 2024.