More newbuildings were ordered as methanol dual-fuelled vessels in October than the numbers logged that will use LNG.
According to classification society DNV’s monthly tally on newbuilding fuelling choices, a total of 18 large container ships from owners comprising AP Moller-Maersk, Cosco Shipping Lines and OOCL were contracted that will be able to run on methanol as a fuel.
This compares with just 11 LNG dual-fuel vessels that were ordered during the month.
DNV highlighted that the car carrier sector is helping propel the continued uptake in LNG-fuelling, name-checking Ray Car Carriers as being among those ordering.
Principal consultant Martin Wold said the number of LNG dual-fuel car carriers has been boosted to 112.
Wold said this sector is looking at an 11-times growth over the next four years for LNG bunkering.
DNV detailed that there are now 840 LNG or LNG dual-fuelled vessels either on order or trading. The bulk of these — 211 vessels — are container ships, followed by car carriers (112 vessels) and crude oil tankers (89 ships).
On its newly upgraded Alternative Fuels Insight platform, it shows there are 143 ships — all gas carriers — that use LPG, 84 methanol and 25 hydrogen.
But, of the trading fleet, those using alternative fuels still only account for 0.41% of vessels.
Of the newbuildings contracted in 2022, nearly 15% are LNG-fuelled ships, close to 3% can use methanol and almost 2% are fuelled by LPG.
