Decarbonisation

DNV and Alfa Laval: What can drive the energy transition in shipping?

Rasmus Stute from DNV interviews Sameer Kalra of Alfa Laval on the company’s innovative approach to energy transition, emphasizing fuel-agnostic solutions, and energy efficiency.

Published

2 years ago

January 14, 2025

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Rasmus Stute from DNV interviews Sameer Kalra, President of the Marine Division and Executive Vice President at Alfa Laval, on key industry trends including the company’s innovative approach to the energy transition, emphasizing fuel-agnostic solutions, energy efficiency and close collaboration with third parties to meet future challenges:

We met recently at the SMM trade fair, always a really important date on the shipping calendar. What were your takeaways?

The first thing that stood out to me was that energy efficiency seems to be really high on the agenda, alongside LNG as an alternative fuel. Secondly, digitalization seems to be much more in focus than just a couple of years ago. This is why it is so great to come to these trade shows; you can hear what the industry’s talking about and it really helps to calibrate your own views.

At SMM, we launched our latest Maritime Forecast to 2050, which focuses on the building blocks needed for the energy transition in shipping. From Alfa Laval’s perspective how are you going to respond to the energy transition? Is this a significant challenge or something you’ve already anticipated?

The one thing that Alfa Laval is absolutely known for is being innovative from the beginning and that’s still part of the company’s DNA. So when we started working around decarbonization and the energy transition roughly five or six years ago, we took the position that as Alfa Laval we needed to put our money where our mouth was. And, instead of just telling others to decarbonize, we also set some goals for ourselves for 2030. Right now, we expect to meet our Scope 1 and 2 net zero targets ahead of schedule. (PS: After this interview took place, Alfa Laval announced an updated goal to achieve net zero in its own operations by 2027, covering Scope 1 and 2 emissions.)

However, challenges remain, particularly supporting customers in areas outside our direct control, such as fuel choice. Shipowners have a tough challenge, finding a vessel design and choosing a fuel that is economically viable, commercially attractive and future-proof for the next 20–25 years. Recognizing this complexity early on, we positioned ourselves to support shipowners with versatile, future-ready solutions. In particular, one major initiative has been to ensure our product portfolio is fuel-agnostic.

Additionally, we have prioritized the development of new platforms focused on energy efficiency. Another key step has been the acquisition of StormGeo, which, whilst unconventional for a company like Alfa Laval, aligns with our strategy to address the evolving energy efficiency and sustainability demands of the maritime industry. Ultimately, our commitment is to provide solutions that enable both immediate and long-term decarbonization goals.

You mentioned key elements like energy efficiency and fuel flexibility, and you have set up your company to address these challenges. Looking ahead to 2030, what do you envision will be your most important products to support customers with these trends?

It is challenging to be definitive about specific products, but we can identify trends. Our energy efficiency portfolio will play an increasingly important role, even more so than it does today. Transitioning to clean fuels will also grow in importance. If I were to highlight one area, it would be energy efficiency over the short term.

Given the challenges in scaling up the supply of green methanol and ammonia by 2030, boosting energy efficiency becomes an essential, immediate necessity for the industry. At Alfa Laval, all three of our divisions – Marine, Energy, and Food and Water – will contribute to these efforts. In the near term, we will focus on enhancing energy efficiency in existing systems whilst introducing new, innovative energy efficiency platforms across our product portfolio to support our customers in navigating this energy transition.

I’ve a follow-up question on the energy transition. How do you feel about the role of carbon capture and storage in this process?

From our perspective, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is set to play an important role, particularly on the energy side. However, the role of onboard carbon capture specifically is less clear. These are two different challenges and we need to approach them with an open mind. For instance, it’s possible that LNG could be a transitional fuel that achieves a 20% reduction in emissions. If onboard carbon capture technology could add another 10–15% reduction on top of that, it might be a viable step forward.

However, there are still many questions to address. We need to solve challenges related to the footprint of onboard carbon capture systems, as well as their cost-benefit ratios. These are critical factors that must be worked out before onboard carbon capture becomes a widespread solution. That said, I have confidence in the ingenuity of the maritime industry, and I am optimistic that we will find ways to overcome these challenges.

And whilst there are still questions to answer, I firmly believe that carbon capture and storage, both on land and onboard, could make a significant contribution towards accelerating the energy transition.

Note: The full interview by DNV can be found here.

Photo credit: Venti Views on Unsplash
Published: 14 January, 2025

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Yang Ming orders six LNG dual-fuel, ammonia-ready containerships from Hanwha Ocean

Each of the six new vessels will have a capacity of up to 13,650 TEU and feature LNG dual-fuel propulsion and Ammonia Fuel Ready specifications.

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Yang Ming orders six LNG dual-fuel, ammonia-ready containerships from Hanwha Ocean

Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation (Yang Ming) and South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean on Wednesday (2 September) signed a shipbuilding contract for six 13,000 TEU class LNG dual-fuel container vessels.

The contract was signed by Dr. Chuck Tsai, Chairman of Yang Ming, and Mr. Charles Kim, CEO of Hanwha Ocean. The vessels are scheduled for delivery between 2028 and 2029.

They will complement Yang Ming’s existing fleet of 10,000+ TEU vessels and serve as key vessels on East-West services, with deployment flexibility across trade lanes connecting Asia with the East and West Coasts of North America, South America, and the Mediterranean.

Each of the six new vessels will have a capacity of up to 13,650 TEU and feature LNG dual-fuel propulsion and Ammonia Fuel Ready specifications.

“As Yang Ming transitions toward net-zero emissions, LNG provides a relatively mature and economically viable alternative fuel solution, capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 20%,” the company said.

“At the same time, ammonia can serve as a carbon-free fuel by utilising converted LNG storage facilities, while offering relatively lower conversion costs and comparatively well-developed supply chains and infrastructure. The Ammonia Fuel Ready design will therefore provide Yang Ming with greater flexibility in responding to increasingly stringent international regulations on greenhouse gas emissions.”

In addition, the vessels will be equipped with Type B LNG fuel tanks with a design pressure of 1.0 bar to enhance the safety and efficiency of LNG operations, together with a range of energy-saving technologies, including Wind Shields, Rudder Bulbs, Pre-Swirl Stators, and Shore Power Systems. Smart ship technologies and cybersecurity protection features will also be incorporated to enhance operational efficiency, safety, and reliability while effectively reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Deliveries under Yang Ming’s next-generation fleet optimization plan commenced earlier this year. By 2030, a total of 24 new vessels are expected to enter service.

This includes 18 LNG dual-fuel vessels—comprising five 15,500 TEU, seven 16,000 TEU, and the six 13,000 TEU vessels under this contract—alongside six 8,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel-ready ships.

Photo credit: Yang Ming Marine Transport
Published: 4 September, 2026

Alternative Fuels

LR, China’s MARIC unveil tanker concept ready for three future bunker fuels

Both secured AiP for a new 114,000 DWT product and crude oil tanker designed to accommodate future conversion to LNG, methanol or ammonia.

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LR, China’s MARIC unveil tanker concept ready for three future bunker fuels

Lloyd’s Register (LR) and the Marine Design and Research Institute of China (MARIC) on Thursday (3 September) have secured Approval in Principle (AiP) for a new 114,000 DWT product and crude oil tanker designed to accommodate future conversion to LNG, methanol or ammonia.

Announced at SMM 2026, the concept addresses one of the biggest investment challenges facing shipping today: the need to develop vessels and capabilities that can support a range of alternative fuel options and pathways as technologies, infrastructure and regulations evolve.

While LNG is already a mature fuel pathway, methanol and ammonia remain at an earlier stage of development, with questions around global fuel availability, infrastructure development, economics and long-term adoption.

The 114,000 DWT tanker concept has been designed as a product and crude oil carrier that can accommodate future conversion to LNG, methanol or ammonia as technologies, regulations and fuel supply chains mature. By incorporating conversion readiness at the design stage, the concept aims to reduce future retrofit complexity and provide owners with greater confidence when planning long-term fleet investments.

The design concept was reviewed against LR’s July 2026 class rules and regulations, including requirements relating to ships using gases and other low-flashpoint fuels, alongside relevant IACS Common Structural Rules for oil tankers. Final classification and statutory approval remain subject to full compliance with all applicable rules and regulations.

Theo Kourmpelis, Global Business Director for Tankers, Lloyd’s Register, said: “Shipowners are being asked to make major investment decisions today despite continued uncertainty around which fuels will dominate in the decades ahead. Alternative fuel solutions each offer potential pathways to compliance, but fuel infrastructure, regulation and economics continue to evolve at different speeds around the world.

“Designs that preserve flexibility will be critical in helping owners manage risk while preparing for multiple future scenarios.”

Si Nan, Marine & Offshore Marketing Department Vice Director, MARIC, said: “As the industry explores different decarbonisation pathways, shipowners need vessel designs that can adapt alongside technological and regulatory developments. This concept was developed specifically to provide greater fuel flexibility and long-term resilience, allowing owners to respond to changing market requirements without being locked into a single fuel strategy.

“Receiving Approval in Principle from Lloyd’s Register is an important milestone that validates the design concept and supports its future development.”

Photo credit: Lloyd’s Register
Published: 4 September, 2026

Alternative Fuels

DNV: Alternative-fuelled vessel orders hit highest monthly level since October 2024

LNG-fuelled vessels accounted for the vast majority of August activity while the strong summer performance marked a significant acceleration in ordering activity after a relatively slow start to the year.

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2 days ago

September 4, 2026

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DNV: Alternative-fuelled vessel orders hit highest monthly level since October 2024

Latest data from classification society DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform alternative-fuelled vessel ordering was strong in August, with 52 new vessels added to the platform.

This is the highest monthly total since October 2024 and follows another active month in July, when 47 vessels were added to the database.

LNG-fuelled vessels accounted for the vast majority of August activity, with 46 orders recorded. The container segment led the way with 30 orders, while the car carrier segment contributed a further 12 LNG-fuelled vessels. In addition, four ethanol-fuelled bulk carriers and two hydrogen-powered bulk carriers were added during the month, as well as one LNG bunker vessel.

The strong summer performance marked a significant acceleration in ordering activity after a relatively slow start to the year. In total, 242 alternative-fuelled vessel orders have been placed in the first eight months of 2026, representing a 27% increase compared with the same period in 2025.

LNG remains the dominant fuel choice, accounting for 63% of all alternative-fuelled vessel orders registered so far this year. Container vessels represent the largest share of these LNG orders (59%), followed by car carriers (30%).

Jason Stefanatos, Global Decarbonization Director at DNV Maritime, said: “The past two months have been particularly strong for alternative-fuelled vessel ordering, with August recording the highest monthly total we’ve seen since October 2024. This has helped lift year-to-date orders to a level well above the same period last year.

“LNG remains the leading fuel choice, driven largely by activity in the container and car carrier segments. These sectors have been among the earliest adopters of alternative fuels, supported by predictable liner operations and increasing demand from cargo owners to reduce emissions across supply chains.

“For many owners, LNG offers a combination of emissions reductions, fuel availability and future flexibility while the longer-term fuel landscape continues to evolve.

“At the same time, the latest figures include orders for ethanol- and hydrogen-fuelled vessels, highlighting that owners continue to explore a range of decarbonization pathways. Different segments are making different fuel choices, but the overall level of activity demonstrates continued investment in lower-emission shipping.”

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