China is accelerating its shift to use greener bunker fuels in inland water transport, with more than 1,000 vessels powered by new energy or clean energy now operating nationwide, according to the Ministry of Transport.

As of the end of 2024, the country had over 600 liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels, primarily used for inland cargo transport, and 485 battery-powered electric vessels, mostly serving as passenger ferries, Vice Transport Minister Fu Xuyin told a press conference on 27 June.

A smaller number of inland vessels powered by methanol or hydrogen fuel cells are also in use, Fu added.

China’s electric vessel industry has developed rapidly in recent years, leading globally in both scale and technological advancement, he said.

Alongside upgrading vessels, China is accelerating efforts to develop green, low-carbon ports, and this includes expanding and renovating inland port terminals with a focus on sustainability, Fu noted.

China is also developing near-zero-carbon inland terminals, encouraging the use of wind and solar power at ports, promoting the use of new energy and clean energy in port machinery and on-site transport vehicles, and prioritizing rail and new-energy trucks for bulk cargo handling, he added.

Photo credit: Xu Xiang/China State Council Information Office
Published: 8 July 2025

Ofiniti, a provider of digital solutions for maritime bunker operations, on Thursday (3 July) said LNG bunker fuel supplier Titan Clean Fuels (Titan) is adopting its FuelBoss platform to meet higher demand for cleaner marine fuels and offer digitalised bunker operations. 

Ofiniti said Titan, which started as a small-scale LNG bunkering initiative, has rapidly evolved into a larger regional player in LNG and bio-LNG. 

“Confidence is continuing to grow in the sector, with recent reports showing that LNG accounts for 87 of the 151 alternative-fuelled vessels ordered in H1 of 2025,” the company said in a social media post. 

Subsequently, Titan is bolstering its capacity to handle higher demand with the FuelBoss software providing a digital backbone for increasing operational planning, scheduling and execution.

“We have reached a scale where manual coordination and paper-driven workflows are no longer sustainable. To maintain reliability, efficiency, and transparency across our growing operations, we needed a digital platform that can evolve with us. FuelBoss gives us the structure and visibility to execute consistently – no matter the vessel, port, or partner involved,” said Per-Christian Dettwiler, Chief Operating Officer of Titan.

FuelBoss enables real-time delivery coordination between vessels, suppliers, terminals, surveyors, and customers. This means reduced operational friction, more transparent communication, and the ability to meet the rising expectations of a broad customer base from cruise operators to deep-sea cargo fleets. 

“Titan exemplifies what a future-ready marine fuel supplier looks like: fast-growing, ambitious, and uncompromising on service quality. With clients spanning both regulated and high-performance environments, they expect structured, digital workflows by default, with eBDN being a part of this. We’re proud to support Titan on their mission to scale clean fuel delivery with confidence,” said Martin Christian Wold, VP Business Development of Ofiniti.

Photo credit: Ofiniti
Published: 7 July, 2025

Axpo Solutions has successfully completed the first ever LNG Ship-to-Ship (STS) bunkering operation in Port of Sines in Portugal, according to Daniele Corti, Head of Small Scale LNG of the company, on Saturday (5 July).

During the operation, the company safely bunkered 2,700 metric tonnes (mt) of LNG to MSC Togo, carried out under Simultaneous Operations (SIMOPS).

“At Axpo, we’re deeply committed to expanding the availability of LNG as a marine fuel in more ports across Europe, supporting the meaningful decarbonisation of the maritime transport sector,” he said in a social media post. 

“We look forward to continuing our mission to enable cleaner shipping across Europe!”

Photo credit: Axpo Solutions
Published: 7 July, 2025