Connect with us

Alternative Fuels

Study: 49 new bunker tankers required to prepare Germany for renewable bunker fuels by 2050

Some 13 small, 5 large and 4 very large bunker vessels will be needed in North Sea to supply expected ship calls at German seaports, while 22 small, 2 medium and 3 large bunker vessels will be needed in Baltic Sea.
Admin

Published

2 years ago

on

RESIZED Shaah Shahidh on Unsplash

A study, commissioned by NOW GmbH and conducted by Ramboll consultancy, found 49 new bunker vessels will be needed in the North Sea and Baltic Sea to supply expected ship calls at German seaports, according to NOW GmbH recently. 

The study titled Refuelling infrastructure for low-carbon and renewable marine fuels in Germany analysed how bunker sales of low-carbon and renewable fuels could develop in German seaports and inland ports.

In addition to the bunker volumes of alternative fuels to be made available in the future, the study also focused on the number and size of bunker vessels required to cover the potential demand in Germany and an estimate of the costs arising from the construction of these vessels.

The study shed light on the supply potential and provides recommendations for measures and strategies to expand bunkering capacities for sustainable marine fuels in Germany. 

Supported by an advisory board of experts from the shipping industry, the bunkering industry, the port industry and environmental organisations, the study examined the following aspects:

  • The status quo of port calls and bunker volumes: While port calls have remained constant over the last two decades, bunker volumes of conventional fossil fuels used in maritime shipping in Germany have tended to decline since 2016. Bunker demand in inland shipping, on the other hand, has remained constant since 2007.
  • Development of future fuel options: It is anticipated, however, that alternative fuels such as LNG, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen, which increasingly have to be produced from renewable sources, will play an important role in the defossilisation of shipping in the future. Over 90 per cent of the bunker volume in 2050 is expected to be used for these fuels.
  • Bunker volume scenarios: The study outlines scenarios for an increasing demand for precisely these fuels, in particular also due to increasingly stringent climate protection requirements for shipping, in combination with a lower volumetric energy density of these fuels compared to conventional fuels (fuel tanks and bunker intensities are increasing).
  • Bunker ships and bunker facilities: The analysis shows in particular a need for new bunker ships: By 2050, 13 small, 5 large and 4 very large bunker vessels will be needed in the North Sea alone to supply the expected ship calls at German seaports, while 22 small, 2 medium and 3 large bunker vessels will be needed in the Baltic Sea.

Kurt-Christoph von Knobelsdorff, CEO and spokesperson for NOW GmbH, said: “The pressure on the shipping industry to make its contribution towards tackling climate change is growing.”

“Ever stricter regulations concerning the reduction of CO2 emissions require not only efficiency measures but also the increasing use of low-carbon and renewable marine fuels.”

“The study provides guidance for the development of corresponding bunkering infrastructures in Germany. The development of a robust bunker market for climate-friendly marine fuels can become an attractive service offering for German ports in international competition.”

Note: The short version of the study in English can be found here while the full version of the study in German can be downloaded here.

 

Photo credit: Shaah Shahidh on Unsplash
Published: 7 May 2024

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

LNG Bunkering

PIL’s LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Admin

Published

15 hours ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

PIL's LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

Singapore-based Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd on Monday (20 July) said its first 13,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessel, Kota Elok, recently made her maiden call to Singapore on 15 July.

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. 

The vessel also incorporated energy-saving features and digital technologies to reduce fuel consumption and enhance operational performance, as well as a bow windshield to improve aerodynamics, contributing to improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions over the course of long-haul voyages.

“Following Singapore, Kota Elok will continue her voyage on our East Coast Service 1 (ES1) route to South America, calling at ports in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina before returning to Asia,” the company said in a social media post. 

Kota Elok also became PIL’s first vessel to receive Lloyd’s Register certification for compliance with the IACS UR E26 and UR E27 cyber security requirements.

Developed by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), UR E26 and UR E27 are mandatory cyber resilience requirements for newbuild vessels contracted from 1 July 2024. 

 

Photo credit: Pacific International Lines
Published: 21 July, 2026

Continue Reading

LNG Bunkering

CIMC SOE secures order for 12,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel from Sinopec Clean Energy

Once operational, the vessel is expected to strengthen Sinopec’s domestic coastal LNG bunkering network and help address gaps in China’s alternative fuel bunkering infrastructure.
Admin

Published

15 hours ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

CIMC SOE secures order for 12,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel from Sinopec Clean Energy

China’s Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co., Ltd. (CIMC SOE) recently signed a contract with Sinopec (Beijing) Clean Energy Co., Ltd. to build a 12,000-cubic metre (m3) LNG bunkering vessel, according to Chinese maritime media.

The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2028 and will support Sinopec’s efforts to expand its presence in the marine clean energy sector.

Once operational, the vessel is expected to strengthen Sinopec’s domestic coastal LNG bunkering network and help address gaps in China’s LNG bunkering infrastructure.

With this signing , CIMC Pacific Offshore Engineering’s LNG bunkering vessel orderbook is further strengthened, maintaining its leading position in the global market for small and medium-sized LNG bunkering vessels.

The contract also marked another milestone for CIMC SOE, which has seen a sharp increase in orders and business performance this year amid a surge in domestic LNG vessel demand.

 

Photo credit: Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering
Published: 21 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Nuclear

ABS awards AiP to Korean institute for SMR-powered container ship concept design

KRISO says AiP recognises the technical feasibility and safety of its concept design, marking an important milestone toward the development of next-generation nuclear-powered commercial ships.
Admin

Published

15 hours ago

on

July 21, 2026

By

ABS awards AiP to Korean institute for SMR-powered container ship concept design

Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO) on Thursday (16 July) received Approval in Principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for its concept design of a 15,000 TEU Small Modular Reactor (SMR)-powered container ship utilising Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) technology.

KRISO said the AiP recognises the technical feasibility and safety of its concept design, marking an important milestone toward the development of next-generation nuclear-powered commercial ships.

“This achievement demonstrates international recognition of KRISO’s technological capabilities in the rapidly evolving field of nuclear-powered shipping, supporting the transition toward low-carbon maritime transport,” it said. 

Building on this milestone, KRISO will continue advancing basic and detailed ship design, paving the way for future demonstration and commercialisation of SMR-powered vessels. 

Through continued R&D and international collaboration, KRISO remains committed to strengthening next-generation maritime technologies and contributing to the safe deployment of nuclear propulsion in the maritime industry.

 

Photo credit: Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering
Published: 21 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Trending