Classification society DNV has added 10 LNG-powered ships and 23 methanol-fueled vessels to its Alternative Fuels Insight platform in January.
DNV reported orders for 18 LNG-powered ships in December and 130 LNG-powered vessels in 2023, down from 222 in 2022.
As per January orders for LNG-powered vessels, car carriers and tankers made up the bulk of these ten orders, followed by RoPax, according to DNV.
Moreover, 24 LNG ships were delivered in January, representing a record number for the segment, which has grown rapidly in recent years, it said.
There are now 493 LNG-fueled ships in operation globally, representing growth of over 100 percent compared to 2021, DNV said.
“Strong new order activity continues to demonstrate a promising trajectory in the uptake of alternative fuel vessels. As the data shows, the orderbook for methanol-fueled ships continues to grow rapidly. There are now 228 confirmed methanol-fueled ships on order, which will significantly expand the current global fleet of 29 over the coming years,” Martin Wold, principal consultant in DNV’s maritime advisory business, said.
“Meanwhile, the LNG fleet has expanded to the point where we now observe a doubling of the number of LNG-fueled ships in operation between 2021 and 2024, bolstered by a record number of deliveries in January. Interest in ammonia is also on the rise, with two orders confirmed in January, and we expect this to continue to grow in the months and years ahead,” he said.
523 LNG-fueled vessels on order
Besides 493 LNG-powered ships in operation, there are 523 LNG-fueled vessels on order, DNV’s platform shows.
There are 77 LNG-powered crude oil tankers and 77 containerships in operation, followed by 53 oil/chemical tankers, and 48 bulk carriers.
As per vessels on order, LNG-powered containerships account for a big part of the orders with 195 units. Shipping firms also ordered 149 car carriers, 48 oil and chemical tankers, 33 crude oil tankers, and 25 bulk carriers.
These statistics do not include smaller inland vessels or dual-fuel LNG carriers.
53 LNG bunkering vessels and 218 LPG-powered ships
Besides LNG-powered vessels, there are 53 LNG bunkering vessels in operation and 14 on order, the platform shows.
In addition to 1016 confirmed LNG-powered ships, the fleet powered by alternative fuels also includes 257 methanol-fueled vessels, 218 LPG-powered ships, 30 hydrogen-fueled vessels, and 13 ammonia-fueled vessels, according to the platform.