DNV: Orders for methanol-powered vessels soars past 200 ships mark in July

Latest figures from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform showed a total of 62 alternative fuel vessels were ordered in July. 

The month saw another record for methanol ships announced, with 48 ships added to the AFI platform, including 15 retrofits.

According to the data, orders for LNG-fuelled ships continue at a steady pace, with a total of 14 newbuilds ordered in July. This month’s orders brought the number of confirmed LNG-fuelled crude oil tankers past the 100 mark, 65 of which are already in operation.

Martin Wold, Principal Consultant in DNV’s Maritime Advisory business, said “Beating last month’s record by a solid margin, orders for methanol-powered vessels have now jumped past the 200 mark. The significant number of new confirmed orders and retrofits for methanol coincides with the delivery of the world’s first methanol fuelled container vessel and the signing of the first bunker supply agreement for green methanol for ships.”

Manifold Times previously reported A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) stating it will host a week of festivities, including the name giving event and other activities from 18 to 21 September in Copenhagen, Denmark, to celebrate the world’s first container vessel sailing on green methanol.

The container ship was part of Singapore’s first methanol bunkering operation on 27 July when the Maersk container vessel was successfully refuelled with approximately 300 metric tonnes of bio-methanol via Hong Lam Marine’s Singapore-registered tanker, MT Agility, for its onward maiden passage to Copenhagen. 

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Photo credit: DNV
Published: 4 August, 2023