Caterpillar Marine has received DNV Approval in Principle (AiP) for the Cat 3500E methanol-ready marine main and auxiliary engines.
The DNV approval and class notation are said to validate Caterpillar Marine’s methanol-ready dual-fuel engine solution. The Cat 3500E engines are available in 12-cylinder (up to 1901kW) and 16-cylinder (up to 2525kW) configurations. Caterpillar Marine will provide update kits for the 3500E in addition to offering new methanol-burning engines to satisfy the timing and requirements of any project.
Cat 3500E methanol-ready engines are expected to have a significant impact across all maritime segments, especially tugs and other vessels that require high-power propulsion for heavy loads. This solution will enable operators to use methanol as a fuel to help reduce GHG emissions from well to wake.
Caterpillar Marine VP and GM Brad Johnson said: “Caterpillar Marine is pleased that the DNV review was successful, as it marks an important product development milestone for us. Methanol will play an important role in the maritime industry’s energy transition efforts, and we look forward to providing vessel operators with high-quality methanol solutions.”
In parallel with the methanol engine development, Caterpillar is exploring other alcohol-based fuels. The company has already started testing these fuels in the same engine and will provide more information as the development progresses.
Caterpillar Marine first announced its investment in methanol engine technology in March 2022 as part of its combustion technologies innovations. In September 2022, it announced methanol-readiness for the 3500E-series marine engines, which would be capable of being modified to run as dual-fuel engines in the future. In May 2024, the company announced plans to deploy the first set of field demonstrator methanol dual-fuel 3500E marine engines with Damen Shipyards Group in 2026.
Image: Cat 3500E engine (source: Caterpillar Marine)
