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Decarbonisation

Aderco: Sustainable shipping without the spin

Esteve Servajean says maritime industry commitment must extend to delivering greater data transparency and measurable action to prevent decarb projects from becoming mere exercises in optics.
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Esteve Servajean, Head of Marine, Aderco

To meet the IMO’s emissions reduction targets, maritime industry commitment must extend to delivering greater data transparency and measurable action to prevent decarb projects from becoming mere exercises in optics, writes Esteve Servajean, Head of Marine at fuel treatment technology specialist Aderco:

While the maritime sector often expresses its commitment to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) Net Zero ambitions and 2030/2050 targets, rhetoric and reality also frequently diverge. In many respects, our sector is a laggard among global industries where emissions are concerned and needs to take a hard, honest look at itself  – or risk falling even further behind by clinging to outdated concepts, strategies and technologies.

Conventionally, ship ‘efficiency’ has been measured in fuel cost per tonne-mile. However, although many have yet to grasp the fact,  this metric is becoming obsolete. Today, the true efficiency of a ship is measured in multiple parameters, which encompass fuel cost and emissions from the stack but also include lifecycle emissions (plus upstream fuel production and vessel disposal), real-time carbon transparency, and the social and regulatory requirements for navigating relationships with ports, financial institutions and cargo owners.

At Aderco, we see this transformation daily. Five years ago, operators primarily spoke to us about fuel savings; today, they demand proven emissions reduction solutions, compatibility with future fuels and verifiable contributions to ESG performance. Companies still measuring efficiency on a single axis are already falling behind.

The future is multi-fuel

Let’s dispel another outdated misperception causing more harm than good: the belief that a single, specific alt-fuel will deliver Net Zero for maritime within the next two decades. The future is multi-fuel, and shipowners must accept and plan for that, ensuring a high degree of flexibility when assessing their options.

Accepting this proposition, it is still fair to ask what the point is of investing in a specific fuel if the ship may operate in regions where the portside infrastructure for that fuel is lacking. The truth is, the availability of green methanol, bio-LNG and ammonia at scale is years behind schedule, even at the major ports that drive global trade. For this reason, shipowners should lean towards investments into dual-fuel configurations where commercially viable and avoid long-term supply contracts tied to a single fuel.

It is not all about fuel selection; operational optimisation remains the most actionable lever today, from engine condition management and real-time fuel consumption monitoring to efficient voyage planning. Even simpler measures, including the application of high-performance anti-fouling coatings, wind-assisted propulsion systems and underwater turbines, are now part of the conversation. Various practical and complementary solutions can be implemented immediately without waiting for new fuel infrastructure to catch up.

The industry must therefore resist the temptation to standardise too early. Instead, it should build flexible, adaptive strategies that can evolve as the landscape changes. Most importantly, while some uncertainty regarding future fuels is natural, it must never become an excuse for inaction.

Regulatory fragmentation

On the regulatory side, FuelEU Maritime, the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) and the IMO’s revised greenhouse gas reduction strategy have created a framework shipowners cannot ignore. However, while shipowners are pragmatic investors, they need a clear regulatory framework and a long-term vision before they commit capital with confidence.

At present, regulatory fragmentation is a serious obstacle. The IMO sets global ambitions, but the EU is advancing on its own timeline and with its own instruments. This is forcing shipowners operating under multiple jurisdictions to navigate numerous, sometimes contradictory regulatory frameworks simultaneously.

The skills and data gap is also severely underestimated. Achieving 2030 and 2050 milestones will require not just new hardware, but new competencies in fleet management, data analytics and carbon accounting. The maritime sector is only starting to take this human capital challenge seriously.

Equally important is investment in data infrastructure. Reliable energy consumption, emissions and performance data is a crucial competitive asset, regardless of the alt-fuel selected. Unavoidably, the answer must make economic sense.

Get off the sidelines

To resolve regulatory fragmentation, only IMO can implement a carbon levy framework on a global basis. A credible, maritime-specific carbon credit scoring system could unlock capital, reward early adopters and create genuine behavioural incentives across the supply chain.

To be credible, though, this system must be built on real, verifiable data, not theoretical models, and must connect meaningfully to financial instruments to have actual market impact. We have seen too much greenwashing in other sectors, with initiatives often prioritising optics over actual emissions reductions. Maritime must therefore acknowledge its historically poor emissions data quality, get off the sidelines and take urgent action to fix it.

Fortunately, European green finance is proving a major accelerator. Instruments such as green bonds, sustainability-linked loans and the Poseidon Principles have moved into the mainstream and are now influencing key boardroom decisions. While stranded asset risk is real, so is the danger of losing competitive ground. The best approach is to focus on what can be actioned today, build flexibility into investment choices and stay closely aligned with regulatory and customer expectations. Any successful drive towards Net Zero relies on a fine balancing act between regulation and market forces.

The companies that help define credible standards will be far better positioned than those that react to them later. However, and it cannot be overemphasised, the bar for ‘credible’ must be high, incorporating transparency, independent verification and a direct link to measurable emissions outcome. Without that, we risk creating another layer of complexity with no clear impact.

 

Photo credit: Aderco
Published: 10 June, 2026

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Bunker Fuel

Singapore: Bunker fuel sales drops by 6.8% on year in May 2026

4.55 million mt of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in May, down from 4.88 million mt recorded during the similar month in 2025, according to MPA data.

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June 15, 2026

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Singapore: Bunker fuel sales drops by 6.8% on year in May 2026

Sales of marine fuel at Singapore port dropped by 6.8% on year in May 2026, according to data from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

In total, 4.55 million metric tonnes (mt) (exact 4,548,000 mt) of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in May, down from 4.88 million mt (4,878,100 mt) recorded during the similar month in 2025.

Deliveries of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in May (against on year) recorded respectively 1.79 million mt (-5.3% from 1.89 million mt), 2.29 million mt (-6.5% from 2.45 million mt), zero (-100% from 1,200 mt), 600 (35.2% from 1,700 mt) and zero (from zero).

Singapore: Bunker fuel sales drops by 6.8% on year in May 2026

Bio-blended variants of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in May, (against on year) recorded respectively 11,600 mt (-71.6% from 40,900 mt), 36,400 mt (-62.1% from 96,100 mt), zero (from zero), zero (from zero) and zero (from zero). B100 biofuel bunkers, introduced in February last year, recorded 12,800 mt (+573.7% from 1,900 mt). 

LNG and methanol sales were 70,300 mt (+56.2% from 45,000 mt) and zero (from zero) respectively. There were no recorded sales of ammonia for the month and so far since 2025.

 

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 15 June, 2026

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Alternative Fuels

Hong Kong expands support for alternative bunker fuels with new vessel incentives

Port Dues Incentive Scheme for Green Maritime Fuel-related Vessels and the Green Vessels Registration Incentive Scheme will be launched on 16 June for a period of three years.

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Hong Kong

The Marine Department (MD) on Friday (12 June) announced that the Port Dues Incentive Scheme for Green Maritime Fuel-related Vessels and the Green Vessels Registration Incentive Scheme will be launched on 16 June for a period of three years, with a view to encouraging more vessels to bunker green maritime fuels in Hong Kong and accelerating the green transformation of the Hong Kong fleet.

To leverage the trend of decarbonisation in the international shipping industry, the Government has committed in the Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering promulgated in November 2024 the provision of various financial incentives to help lower the cost of transitioning to green maritime fuels by the maritime industry and expedite the development of Hong Kong as a green port. 

In this year’s Budget, the Government has allocated approximately $34 million to implement relevant initiatives, including providing port dues concessions for vessels powered by green maritime fuels as well as those carrying green maritime fuels, and offering incentives for green fuel-powered vessels registered in Hong Kong.

The Port Dues Incentive Scheme for Green Maritime Fuel-related Vessels provides concessions for green maritime fuel-related vessels, including ocean-going vessels (OGVs) powered by or bunkering specified green maritime fuels in Hong Kong, and OGVs carrying green maritime fuels for supply in Hong Kong. 

Specified green maritime fuels covered under the Scheme refer to liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, and bio-diesel (blended with at least 20% bio-fuel). Eligible OGVs conducting specified operation(s) throughout their stay in Hong Kong may apply for a reimbursement of their port dues (including port facilities and light dues, anchorage dues, buoy dues and fees for port clearance permits) paid in accordance with the Shipping and Port Control Regulations (Cap. 313A). The amount of the incentive is equivalent to 25% or 50% of the port dues paid.

Eligible shipowners or their agents must submit the application form together with the required supporting documents to the MD within three months of their vessels’ completion of the above operation(s) in and departure from Hong Kong. The approved incentive amount will generally be disbursed within 30 working days. The amounts of incentives applicable to different types of OGVs are set out in the Annex.

A spokesman for the MD, said: “Following the launch of the Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering Incentive Scheme last year, the new initiative further provides incentives to encourage the industry to adopt green maritime fuels, which are often more expensive than traditional fuels, and to build up demand for green maritime fuel bunkering services in Hong Kong early. 

“This will in turn attract other players in the green maritime fuel bunkering supply chain, such as bunker suppliers, bunker operators and traders, to establish and expand their operations in Hong Kong. We expect this scheme to attract more than 1,000 visits to Hong Kong by green maritime fuel-related vessels.”

Meanwhile, the Green Vessels Registration Incentive Scheme provides incentives to green fuel-powered vessels currently or newly registered in the Hong Kong Shipping Registry (HKSR), thereby attracting and retaining the registration of green vessels in Hong Kong.

Under the scheme, all Hong Kong-registered ships that use green maritime fuels as their primary propulsion fuel, which include LNG, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen but exclude conventional fuels and biofuels, will be eligible to apply. 

During the three-year period of the scheme, each eligible vessel will be provided with a subsidy of HKD 60,000 once every year, and may enjoy one or at most three years’ incentives depending on the timing and duration that the vessel is registered with the HKSR. 

Each vessel is eligible to receive a maximum subsidy of HKD 180,000. Approval and disbursement of the incentives will take approximately three months from the receipt of an application with all required supporting documents. The vessel’s Hong Kong registration status must be maintained on the date the incentive is disbursed. 

The spokesman, said: “This scheme will encourage vessels using green maritime fuels to register in Hong Kong and promote the green transformation of the Hong Kong fleet, which will further enhance the overall competitiveness of the HKSR. We estimate that this scheme will attract approximately 100 vessels powered by green maritime fuels to register with the HKSR. Alongside the vessels powered by green maritime fuels currently registered in Hong Kong, we expect that around 170 such vessels registered in Hong Kong will benefit from the scheme within three years of implementation.”

Note: For details of the Port Dues Incentive Scheme for Green Maritime Fuel-related Vessels and the Green Vessels Registration Incentive Scheme, visit the MD’s webpages (www.mardep.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/forms/pdf/md558.pdf ; www.mardep.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/forms/pdf/md743.pdf).

 

Photo credit: M on Unsplash
Published: 15 June, 2026

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Retrofit

DNV on key lessons learned from a 20,000 TEU methanol retrofit delivered by global partners

DNV demonstrated how complex methanol retrofits can be carried out in practice through a project involving COSCO Shipping, CHI Shanghai, MARIC, suppliers, and DNV.

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June 15, 2026

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DNV on key lessons learned from 20,000 TEU methanol retrofit

Classification society DNV recently highlighted how complex methanol retrofits can be carried out in practice through a project involving COSCO Shipping, CHI Shanghai, MARIC, suppliers, and DNV. 

Its latest Maritime Impact article detailed challenges in design integration, construction, commissioning, and operations, while demonstrating how close collaboration and early planning support more efficient delivery and knowledge transfer: 

The world’s first methanol conversion project for a mega container carrier was completed at CHI‑Shanghai’s yard in September 2025. At nearly 400 metres in length and with a capacity of 20,000 TEU, the seven‑year‑old vessel became the first ship of its kind to be retrofitted to run on methanol. 

Delivered through close coordination between COSCO Shipping, CHI Shanghai, designers, suppliers, and DNV, and supported by a process of continuous learning, the project demonstrated that deep, first‑of‑a‑kind retrofits can be executed safely, on time, and at industrial scale.

Designing a methanol conversion for a megaship

The vessel’s fuel system, designed only for conventional fuels, required fundamental changes to enable safe and compliant methanol operation across propulsion, auxiliaries, storage, and safety systems.

The general design was developed by MARIC, while CHI Shanghai carried out the detailed engineering and served as EPC contractor. The scope included conversion of the ship’s MAN B&W 11S90 main engine and two of its four Wärtsilä auxiliary engines to dual‑fuel operation. In parallel, new methanol fuel tanks with a total capacity exceeding 15,000 cubic metres were installed forward of the engine room, together with new fuel preparation and supply systems.

Coordinating the complexity of retrofitting

Delivering this as a retrofit rather than a newbuild added complexity that is often underestimated. Existing structural arrangements could not simply be replaced, and new systems had to be integrated into confined spaces, requiring innovative construction sequences and tight interface management between suppliers. 

“This was a very complex project involving many parties, including engine makers, fuel system suppliers, and automation and safety specialists,” says Yan Hao, Commercial Director at CHI‑Shanghai. “It was also the first time all of these suppliers had worked together on a methanol retrofit of this scale. Coordination was critical.”

Note: The full article by DNV can be read here.

 

Photo credit: DNV and COSCO Shipping
Published: 15 June, 2026

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