Classification society DNV says orders for LNG-powered ships hit a new record high in April following 21 orders in the month before.
Owners placed in total 31 orders for LNG-powered ships in April, ten more compared to the prior month when they logged a record as well, according to DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight platform.
“That brings the year-to-date order count to 80 ships, with majority being large vessels trading globally. That’s nearly 20 percent of the orders YTD with LNG fuel,” Martin Wold, principal consultant at DNV, said.
The April orders include CMA CGM’s twelve LNG-powered containerships but also orders by Eastern Pacific Shipping and H-Line for Rio Tinto charter, TT-Line, and SFL Corporation.
The DNV platform shows that 199 LNG-powered ships are already in operation with 295 on order.
LNG-powered car and passenger ferries lead the way with 43 in operation, followed by 25 offshore supply ships, and 20 oil/chemical tankers.
As per vessels on order, LNG-powered containerships and crude oil tankers account for most of the orders with 59 and 58 units, respectively.