Engine manufacturer Everllence has agreed to supply Dutch shipbuilder Damen with engines for a new series of fuel-flexible tugs under a long-term framework agreement, the company announced in an emailed statement on Monday.

The engines covered by the deal will be suitable for conversion to methanol propulsion in the future. Everllence's 175D engine can also operate on diesel and 100% biofuel, giving operators flexibility as fuel requirements change over the life of the vessels. That flexibility matters because tugs typically remain in service for 25 years or more, often outlasting the certainty around which alternative fuels will be widely available and competitively priced in a given port.

Damen said it selected the engine for its compact design, strong performance, and availability within the required development timeline.

The agreement covers serial engine supply for Damen's harbour and escort tug programme, as well as other applications. Damen, based in the Netherlands, is one of the world's leading builders of workboats, including harbour and escort tugs, while Everllence — formerly known as MAN Energy Solutions before its rebranding — is a major supplier of medium- and high-speed marine engines.

"The signing of this framework agreement with Damen represents an important strategic step for Everllence and establishes a long-term collaboration with one of the world's leading builders of harbour and escort tugs," said Ben Andres, Vice President and Head of Medium & High-Speed Four-Stroke Marine at Everllence.

The framework agreement reflects a broader trend in the tug and workboat sector toward fuel-flexible designs, as operators prepare for tightening emissions regulations — including the International Maritime Organization's strategy of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by or around 2050 — and the gradual emergence of alternative marine fuels such as methanol and biofuels. Methanol has attracted growing interest in commercial shipping in part because it is liquid at ambient temperature, easing storage and bunkering compared with fuels such as hydrogen, and because engines capable of running on it are already entering serial production.

For the wider industry, serial supply agreements of this kind are a signal of how fuel flexibility is moving from bespoke pilot projects toward standard offerings in workboat newbuilds, a shift worth watching as more ports and operators weigh retrofit-versus-newbuild decisions under tightening emissions rules.

Source: Ship & Bunker