LNG continues to dominate alternative fuel orderbook

ORDERS for alternatively fuelled ships have increased for the second month in a row, following a mixed period since the turn of the year.

A total of 28 orders for alternative fuel vessels were placed in July, 22 of which were for LNG, three for methanol and two for ammonia, according to data from DNV’s Alternative Fuel Insight platform.

Perhaps most interesting was the news that an ammonia bunkering vessel was among July’s orders, alongside two ammonia-fuelled gas carriers.

But it is LNG-powered containerships that dominate the orderbook, making up 19 of the 28 orders in total.

July is the second month running that orders have increased, after June also marked a rise on May’s orders.

But neither month has reached the highs seen in the third quarter of 2024, where close to 100 orders were placed in August and October.

DNV’s global decarbonisation director, Jason Stefanatos, said July’s data “reinforces what we observed in the first half of the year: the alternative-fuelled vessel market is showing resilience. Owners are not just experimenting, they’re investing in scalable, compliant solutions”.

“The first-ever order of an ammonia bunker vessel is a signal that supporting infrastructure is beginning to align with long-term fuel strategies,” he said.

“Combined with continued LNG and methanol bunker vessels activity, this points to a sector that is actively positioning itself towards increased demand in the future.”