Dutch biofuel supplier FincoEnergies on Thursday (2 July) announced the completion of global commodities trader Glencore’s acquisition of a majority stake in the company, forming a partnership with Coloured Finches.

FincoEnergies said its fuel distribution and logistics infrastructure, customer relationships and expertise in downstream fuel transportation will be complemented by Glencore’s global scale, sourcing capabilities and experience across the energy value chain.

With Glencore’s support, FincoEnergies added it is well positioned to continue expanding its offerings in biofuels and decarbonisation solutions across multiple transport segments and to increase its presence in new geographies.

Jan-Willem van der Velden, FincoEnergies CEO and Founder, said: “Today marks an exciting next step for FincoEnergies. Glencore already knows our business well, and this builds on years of collaboration, trust and shared ambition. With Glencore’s support and global reach behind us, we are in a strong position to continue growing our business and supporting our customers as demand for lower-carbon fuel solutions continues to evolve.”

Maxim Kolupaev, Head of Glencore Energy UK, said: “Glencore’s investment in FincoEnergies strengthens the presence of our business in Northwest Europe and creates a strong platform for future growth. We are looking forward to continuing to work closely with the FincoEnergies team and building on the successful relationship we have already developed together.”

Manifold Times previously reported FincoEnergies signing an agreement with Glencore for the acquisition of a majority shareholding in the FincoEnergies Group in a partnership with Coloured Finches.

Related: Glencore acquires majority stake in Dutch biofuel supplier FincoEnergies

Photo credit: FincoEnergies
Published: 3 July, 2026

Latest data from classification society DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform showed a total of 15 new orders for alternative-fuelled vessels were placed in June 2026.

This consisted of 10 orders for LNG-fuelled vessels, nine of which were car carriers and one a CO2 carrier. The remaining five orders were for LPG/ethane carriers.

Two LNG-bunker vessels were also ordered in June, bringing the total in this segment to seven so far in 2026.

In total, 137 alternative-fuelled vessels were ordered in the first half of 2026, down 11.6% from 155 in the same period in 2025. 

Over half of these (73) were for LNG-fuelled vessels, with most coming from the container (42) and car carrier (21) segments. LPG/ethane carriers were also prominent, with 55 new orders, a significant uptick compared to the first half of 2025 (15). The remaining orders were for vessels fuelled by methanol (2), ethanol (2), ammonia (4), and hydrogen (1).

Deliveries in the first half of the year point to continued uptake of alternative-fuelled tonnage across several segments, with 61 LNG-fuelled vessels and 38 methanol-fuelled vessels delivered so far in 2026.

More recently, Exmar took delivery of what it described as the first oceangoing dual-fuel ammonia vessel, marking a step beyond earlier ammonia-fuelled deliveries, which have largely been associated with pilot or demonstration projects rather than commercial deployment.

Jason Stefanatos, Global Decarbonization Director at DNV Maritime, said: “What we can take away from the first half of 2026, in terms of the alternative-fuels orderbook, is that we have a market progressing at different speeds depending on segment economics, fuel availability, and the regulatory landscape. Shipowners and other stakeholders are pursuing different pathways based on their individual priorities and requirements.

“LNG remains the leading near-term fuel option, with order activity continuing to be led by containers and car carriers. LPG and ethane carriers have also accounted for a significant share of activity in the first half of the year, while developments in areas such as ammonia and ethanol show that multiple pathways continue to be explored.”

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 3 July, 2026

MarineFifty, the global investment business focused on maritime decarbonisation, on Wednesday (1 July) announced their intention to invest in Danish fueltech company Kvasir Technologies (Kvasir).

This follows the initial Series A financing round, announced by Kvasir on 18 June 2026, in which they raised EUR 10 million from a mix of existing and new investors. 

Subject to contract, MarineFifty intends to invest up to EUR 11 million as part of Kvasir’s Series A financing round, enabling the company to move from successful /demonstration plant operations to FID of a plant with commercial scale production.

Kvasir has developed a proprietary process that converts abundant, non-edible biomass into a high-quality bio-oil — a drop-in replacement for fossil HFO (Heavy Fuel Oil) that works with existing ship engines. By enabling shipowners to change fuel rather than engine, the technology offers a practical, scalable path to decarbonising one of the world’s hardest-to-abate sectors.

The investment reflects MarineFifty’s strategy of backing the breakthrough technologies, fuels and infrastructure that the shipping industry needs to reach net zero. An estimated 60 to 70% of the sector’s emissions reductions must come from exactly these kinds of innovations, and MarineFifty aims to provide not only capital but the technical conviction and partnership to help them reach commercial scale.

“Many of the technologies that will decarbonise shipping have already been invented. At MarineFifty, our mission is to find them, back them, and get them to scale in time to make a difference,” said Krishnan Narayanan, Chairman of MarineFifty. 

“Kvasir is exactly that kind of breakthrough – a scalable, drop-in solution that meets shipping where it is today, while pointing to a fossil-free future.”

“This investment is a strong endorsement of the technology our team has built and the path ahead of us,” said Dr. Joachim B. Nielsen, CEO and Co-Founder of Kvasir Technologies. 

“MarineFifty brings deep sector knowledge and a shared sense of urgency about decarbonising shipping. Their support helps us move faster towards commercial-scale production and towards delivering a genuine, sustainable alternative to fossil oil.”

Photo credit: Kvasir Technologies
Published: 2 July, 2026