As the global shipping industry advances toward a low-carbon future, German company Everllence — formerly MAN Energy Solutions — is looking to China, the world's largest shipbuilding hub. For this newly rebranded German engine and energy technology company, China is not only the core of the global shipbuilding supply chain but also a vital partner in driving the world's green transformation, said its CEO Uwe Lauber, who is heading a team to participate in Marintec China 2025, one of the maritime industry's major events.

Everllence has been participating in Marintec China since the event was first held back in 1981, and Lauber noted that this year's edition demonstrates China's role as a global leader in the next stage of maritime transformation. Especially with debates intensifying over which fuels — methanol, LNG, ammonia or synthetic methane — will power the next generation of vessels, Marintec China has become the industry's most critical gathering to align strategies.

Lauber showed strong interest in attending this event, saying that industry leaders gathered here to share insights into "how the future looks like in terms of fuel."

Everllence CEO Uwe Lauber during an interview with China.org.cn in Shanghai, Dec. 3, 2025. [Photo by Wang Wei/China.org.cn]

According to Lauber, his company changed its name from the historic "MAN" brand to Everllence this June, marking a committed shift toward decarbonization. "Changing a name is not easy, but we wanted to show the world that we are no longer just a company building heavy-fuel engines," Lauber said. He further explained that the new name Everllence reflects both the heritage of the company — "Ever" — and its commitment to excellence.

This rebranding has been well received among its Chinese customers and partners, according to Lauber. "Many told us it shows we are moving forward and preparing for the future, and that is exactly what China wants from its long-term partners," he added.

Everllence's decarbonization strategy is anchored in five pillars, namely, hydrogen and electrolyzers, CCUS (carbon capture, utilization and storage), industrial heat pumps, green engines and retrofits. Among these, shipping technologies — particularly two-stroke dual-fuel engines and retrofit technology — are gaining the fastest traction in China, said Lauber, citing the strong demand from companies such as COSCO and its close cooperation with major shipbuilders like CSSC.

'Fast execution means fast business'

As a market leader, China accounts for nearly 70% of global shipbuilding and is certainly one of Everllence's most strategically important markets, Lauber emphasized. More than that, it is a platform where new technologies can move from concept to deployment at unprecedented speed.

"China's ability to execute strategic decisions is fantastic — faster than I have ever seen elsewhere," he said. "Once the direction is set, things move. This gives companies like ours a clear environment to innovate and invest, because fast execution means fast business."

This certainty and pace, Lauber said, are critical advantages as the global shipping industry races to meet carbon-neutrality timelines.

He added that in order to deepen local engagement, Everllence will continue investing in its Changzhou workshop and exploring new branches across China.

A shared future powered by teamwork

Cooperation between China and Germany has long been a cornerstone of high-end manufacturing and engineering. Today, new opportunities in green technologies are strengthening this partnership.

For Lauber, China's commitment to carbon neutrality, combined with its manufacturing strength and policy consistency, gives foreign companies strong confidence in long-term cooperation. Everllence views its Chinese customers and partners not simply as buyers, but as co-developers of global solutions.

Lauber summed up his message to the Chinese market with a phrase he often uses inside the company: "Teamwork is our superpower. If we see ourselves as one team, we can be very strong in the global business."

Beyond shipping, Everllence is aligning with Chinese partners such as CNPC on industrial decarbonization and early CCUS demonstration projects.

Also, in the first half of this year, the company secured one of its first orders in China for CCUS units using Everllence's integral gear compressor technology.

As China and Germany deepen cooperation in decarbonization technologies, their joint innovation is set to play a defining role in steering global shipping toward a cleaner, more sustainable horizon, Lauber said.