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Alternative Fuels

LNG will play key role in industry’s decarbonisation ambitions, suggests ABS survey

‘It’s clear the industry needs LNG as a transitional fuel to get us to 2030,’ says Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman, President and CEO.
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While nearly 40% of shipowners have still not implemented a decarbonisation strategy despite impending regulations, there is resounding confidence among industry leaders in LNG’s potential to help reach regulatory goals in the coming decades.

These are key messages from the panel of industry leaders and a survey of more than 400 attendees at a webinar exploring decarbonisation research recently published by ABS in the report Setting the Course to Low Carbon Shipping: View of the Value Chain.

The third publication in the ABS Low Carbon Shipping series builds from prior issues which have identified LNG’s importance among the various alternative fuel options, and looks into current ship designs, in many cases, starting a transition to alternative fuels with LNG.

“It’s clear the industry needs LNG as a transitional fuel to get us to 2030. It could also support the transition to zero-carbon and carbon-neutral fuels that are required to get us to 2050, such as Hydrogen. Owners of internationally trading ships are facing increasingly complex investment decisions as they try to navigate the most efficient course to the low-carbon future,” said Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman, President and CEO.

As part of its award-winning decarbonisation programs, ABS has simplified three fuel pathways (light gas, heavy gas and bio/synthetic) to help aid owners in decision-making.

“LNG remains the clear choice today because of its sheer scalability, growing availability and high technological readiness among low-carbon and low-emission fuels, where Hydrogen and Ammonia appear to be emerging as significant fuel types for tomorrow,” added Wiernicki.

The survey indicated the industry has solid confidence in LNG’s potential, with almost nine out of ten respondents agreeing that it has a key role to play in reaching IMO 2050. Among six fuel types, LNG landed the clear majority of the votes as having the most potential for meeting IMO 2050 decarbonisation goals.

Of the respondents confirming they had not yet put in place a fleetwide decarbonisation strategy, 70 percent reported that they had developed a clear understanding of their fleet’s environmental performance in relation to industry peers.

Key takeaways included:

  • The short-term IMO measures, EEXI and CII, create a challenging landscape for many vessels within the global fleet.
  • Life-cycle analysis clearly identifies the need for green fuel production in order to have meaningful GHG emissions reduction from low- and zero-carbon fuels.
  • The required scale up of technology for green fuel production is significant (by an order of magnitude) before low-and carbon-neutral fuels can be widely adopted by the global fleet.
  • The adoption of such fuels and the overall decarbonisation of the marine sector will be enhanced by the global economy’s efforts to address the impact of climate change.
  • Understanding global supply chains is critical to plan future fleet composition and renewal strategies.

“Although we are fuel and technology agnostic, ABS focuses on working across the board to help owners not only reach their decarbonisation and sustainability targets but hit them successfully, while maintaining a laser focus on safety,” said Wiernicki.

 

Photo credit and source: MAN Diesel
Published: 6 May, 2021

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LNG Bunkering

Singapore: FueLNG achieves 800th LNG bunkering operation milestone

Bunker tanker “FUELNG Venosa” delivered LNG marine fuel to bulk carrier “MV Ubuntu Humanity” at Eastern Bunkering A Anchorage (AEBA) on 11 July.

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Singapore: FueLNG completes 800th LNG bunkering operation

Singapore’s licensed LNG bunker supplier FueLNG on Friday (17 July) announced the successful completion of its 800th LNG bunkering operation in the republic.

The company said bunker tanker FUELNG Venosa delivered LNG marine fuel to bulk carrier MV Ubuntu Humanity at Eastern Bunkering A Anchorage (AEBA) on 11 July. 

“This achievement is more than just a number,” FueLNG said.

“It reflects the trust our customers place in us, the dedication of our operations team, the professionalism of our marine partners, and our unwavering commitment to safe, efficient, and reliable bunker deliveries.” 

Manifold Times previously reported FueLNG completing its 500th LNG ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering operation.

Related: Singapore: FueLNG achieves milestone of 500th STS LNG bunkering operation

 

Photo credit: FueLNG
Published: 20 July, 2026

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Methanol

Western Baltic Engineering unveils green methanol bunkering vessel design for Klaipėda

Designed for flexible operations in shallow waters and local bunkering routes, the concept features an 800-metric-tonne green methanol capacity and the potential to supply up to 250,000 mt annually.

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Western Baltic Engineering unveils green methanol bunkering vessel design for Klaipėda

Ship design and engineering service provider Western Baltic Engineering on Thursday (16 July) showcased its latest concept design for a green methanol bunkering vessel, developed for the operational needs of the Port of Klaipėda.

Designed for flexible operations in shallow waters and local bunkering routes, the concept features an 800-metric-tonne green methanol capacity and the potential to supply up to 250,000 metric tonnes (mt) annually. 

“It is Western Baltic Engineering’s first concept dedicated exclusively to green methanol bunkering, expanding our portfolio of alternative-fuel vessel solutions,” the company said in a social media post.

“Building on our experience in methanol-ready vessel design, it reflects our continued focus on enabling the industry’s transition to cleaner fuels.”

“As the maritime sector evolves, engineering companies have a responsibility not only to respond to market needs but also to anticipate future challenges,” said Marius Arkusauskas, Director at Western Baltic Engineering.

“By exploring emerging technologies and alternative fuel applications, we help our partners prepare for the next generation of maritime operations while contributing to a more sustainable future.”

 

Photo credit: Western Baltic Engineering
Published: 20 July, 2026

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Alternative Fuels

Repsol and Maersk wrap up first bioethanol bunkering operation in Port of Barcelona

Repsol supplied 2,800 mt of bioethanol to a Maersk container vessel, “Antonia Maersk”, in the first bunkering operation of its kind in the Port of Barcelona and one of the first in the Mediterranean.
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July 20, 2026

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Repsol and Maersk wrap up first bioethanol bunkering operation in Port of Barcelona

Spanish energy company Repsol and shipping giant A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) completed the first bioethanol bunkering operation in the Port of Barcelona, according to the port authority on Wednesday (15 July). 

Repsol successfully supplied 2,800 metric tonnes (mt) of bioethanol to a Maersk container vessel, Antonia Maersk, in the first bunkering operation of its kind in the Port of Barcelona and one of the first in the Mediterranean. 

The operation demonstrates growing demand for alcohol-based marine fuels, as well as the readiness of the infrastructure, logistics, and operational capabilities required to support their deployment at commercial scale. 

Juan Abascal, Repsol’s Executive Managing Director of Industrial Transformation and Circular Economy, said: “With this supply, we reaffirm our commitment to the decarbonization of maritime transport through solutions that are available today and ready to scale in the future. 

“At Repsol, we provide shipping companies with a reliable supply chain and a multi-energy strategy that combines different renewable fuels to support the sector in a safe, competitive, and sustainable transition.”

The supply took place in the Port of Barcelona under fully commercial conditions, bringing together key players across the maritime value chain and demonstrating how collaboration can accelerate the adoption of lower-emission solutions in shipping. 

The delivery was carried out by Bahía Candela, Repsol’s newest bunker vessel, operated by Mureloil and designed to supply both conventional marine fuels and next-generation energy products. 

During the bunkering operation, Bahía Candela operated using its battery system, enabling the fuel transfer to be completed with zero local emissions, and further reducing the environmental footprint of the operation. 

Prior to the bunkering, Maersk tested ethanol on one of its smaller vessels, the 1,800 TEU feeder vessel Laura Maersk, which in 2023 became the world’s first dual-fuel container vessel able to operate on methanol. Today, Maersk has 23 dual-fuel container vessels designed to operate on methanol; however, the company continues to explore ethanol as an alternative fuel for its methanol-enabled vessels. Laura Maersk has performed sailings on 100% ethanol as well as blends of ethanol and methanol. 

Emma Mazhari, Vice President Energy Markets at Maersk, said: “Following the successful ethanol trials conducted on Laura Maersk, this latest bunkering of Antonia Maersk marks another important step in our efforts to explore scalable low-emission fuel solutions. 

“As the first ethanol trial on one of our large dual-fuel vessels, with a capacity of 16,000 TEU, it allows us to deepen our understanding of ethanol’s operational potential at scale. 

“Building on the experience we have gained with methanol, we are working closely with port authorities and industry partners to develop the infrastructure and procedures needed to support ethanol bunkering. Ethanol is one of several pathways we are pursuing to diversify our future fuel portfolio and help accelerate the development of new, viable liquid marine fuel markets.”

 

Photo credit: Port of Barcelona
Published: 20 July, 2026

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