Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) on Tuesday (3 December) announced the classification of three new LNG bunker vessels, including one 18,600 cubic metre (m3) vessel for Ibaizabal at Hudong Zhonghua and two 18,000 m3 vessels for Hercules Shipping, shipping arm of Peninsula at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, which will be delivered from 2026. 

“The vessels further BV’s collaboration with world-leading shipbuilders, charterers and yards on major LNG projects, supporting the maritime industry as it transitions to the use of more sustainable fuels,” it said on its website. 

The new vessels join a list of 18 BV-classed LNG bunkering vessels in service, with four more scheduled for delivery in 2025 and 2026. They add to the important supply of LNG as fuel and help ensure shipbuilders and operators remain compliant and on course to meet global emissions targets. 

BV has now classified around 35% of the world’s bunkering ships in service and approximately 50% of the order book to date.

While LNG remains an essential part of the current maritime energy landscape, methanol and ammonia are increasingly viewed as a fuel that could accelerate decarbonisation efforts. BV is already leveraging its expertise in LNG to facilitate the industry's shift to other clean fuels, exploring how lessons from LNG can be applied to methanol and ammonia’s production, transport, and eventual use as a maritime fuel. 

Bureau Veritas has supported developments that will pave the way for the broader uptake of ammonia as a fuel on land and at sea. It recently granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) to Dalian Shipbuilding for its liquid ammonia bunkering vessel design and partnered with Hanwha Ocean and Naftomar on a joint development project to develop large ammonia carriers with an ammonia fuel-prepared design. 

On methanol projects, BV is also actively involved in a selected class of several bunkering tankers in Europe and Singapore and numerous methanol fuel projects, mainly in chemical tankers and container ships.

Photo credit: Peninsula and Ibaizabal
Published: 5 December, 2024

A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk) has signed agreements with three shipyards in China and South Korea for a total of 20 container vessels equipped with dual-fuel engines. 

Combined, the vessels have a capacity of 300,000 TEU. With these orders, Maersk concluded the intended owned newbuilding orders announced in its August 2024 update of the fleet renewal plan.

“We are pleased to have signed agreements for 20 vessels and thereby completed the acquisition of 300,000 TEU capacity as announced in August,” said Anda Cristescu, Head of Chartering & Newbuilding at Maersk.

“These orders are a part of our ongoing fleet renewal program and in line with our commitment to decarbonisation, as all the vessels will have dual-fuel engines with the intent to operate them on lower emissions fuel.”

All 20 ships will be equipped with liquified gas dual-fuel propulsion systems and vary in size from 9,000 to 17,000 TEU.

“Due to their different sizes, the vessels will be able to fill many roles and functions within our future network and give us a lot of deployment flexibility when they are ready to enter our fleet. Once phased in, they will replace existing capacity in our fleet,” Cristescu added. 

The first vessels will be delivered in 2028, and the last delivery will take place in 2030.

The August fleet update further announced the intention to charter a range of methanol and liquified gas dual-fuel vessels totalling 500,000 TEU capacity. Maersk has now finalised these charter contracts across several tonnage providers. When phased in, the charter vessels will replace existing capacity.

Facts about Maersk’s newbuilding orders of 20 vessels:

• 20 dual-fuel vessels ordered with a total capacity of 300,000 TEU
• 2x 9,000 TEU vessels ordered at Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, China
• 12x 15,000 TEU vessels (6 at Hanwha Ocean, South Korea and 6 at New Times Shipbuilding, China)
• 6x 17,000 TEU at vessels at Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, China
• The vessels will be equipped with liquified gas dual-fuel propulsion systems

Photo credit: A.P. Moller - Maersk
Published: 4 December, 2024

Latest figures from classification society DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform saw that a total of 27 new orders for alternative fuelled vessels were placed in November 2024.

LNG continues to be the main driver, accounting for 23 vessels, with most of these (15) coming from the container segment. A strong month also for the car carrier segment, with six new LNG-fuelled vessels added to the orderbook.

Four new orders for ammonia-fuelled vessels were also registered.

Although this was a slightly slower month for new orders for alternative-fuelled vessels, it follows a record-breaking month in October, and a strong surge in activity since the summer months. 

Jason Stefanatos, Global Decarbonization Director at DNV Maritime, said: “Although these results show a slowdown of new orders for alternative-fuelled vessels in November, this follows the strongest month ever in October, and the overall trend remains strong.

“LNG remains the headline story with exceptional activity since the summer months. This is clearly being driven by the container segment, where the vast majority of new orders in 2024 have been for alternative-fuelled vessels.”

Related: DNV: October marks strongest month ever for alternative-fuelled newbuild orders

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 3 December, 2024