SWISS manufacturer WinGD has announced the first ethanol-fuelled two-stroke marine engine will be available for retrofits and newbuildings by 2027.

Adapted from the company’s X-DF-M methanol model, the new model has been a decade in the making following funding from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy.

Ethanol has a higher energy density than methanol and can be made from biomass. It is already priced competitively in some markets around the world, compared to methanol or even ammonia, which remain much more expensive than conventional fuels.

It is also less toxic than methanol and burns with a visible flame, which give it an edge over its competitor alternative fuels. Shipping, however, could face greater competition from other sectors for ethanol, with projects to use it in aviation and road transport already well underway.

WinGD said it was in talks with “several shipowners, ethanol fuel suppliers and class societies” over the commercial applications of the engine. It is yet to be decided whether the engine will be optimised for ethanol, or have it as a secondary application.

Vice-president of research and development Sebastian Hensel said the announcement was “further evidence of the strength of our research programme”.

“Our early ethanol explorations were crucial to the successful development of our X DF-M methanol engine, and now both are enabling the rapid commercialisation of the first ethanol-fuelled two-stroke engine,” he said.

“As global emission regulations are set to be passed, we’re pleased to be able to offer a further lower carbon alternative to ship owners and operators.”