Alternative Fuels News

Estonia has launched a €25 million ($28 million) government grant designed to encourage the reconstruction and greening of passenger and cargo ships, tugboats and other port and auxiliary vessels in Estonian ports.This makes Estonia one of the few countries in Europe offering direct financial support in the form of state aid for ship retrofitting. The new grant, enacted by Estonia’s Minister of Infrastructure, Kuldar Leis, provides shipowners and operators with subsidies covering 15% to 30% of eligible retrofit costs…

Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Technip Energies to work together to develop the ammonia cracking component for LDA’s FRESH solution, a ship-based processing and storage facility for low-carbon ammonia and hydrogen.The 170-meter-long vessel features a substantial storage capacity of 45,000 cbm for imported ammonia and can convert it into hydrogen using an innovative cracking plant integrated on the vessel deck.FRESH, short for Floating Renewable Energy Solutions for Hydrogen…

The SASHA Coalition, together with six other NGOs and industry alliances, together representing 82 clean maritime and green hydrogen industry stakeholders, has written a letter to the European Commission and European Union Presidency urging it to strengthen clean shipping policy in the wake of what they say are disappointing regulations agreed last month at MEPC 83.It says the IMO agreement fails to adequately boost green hydrogen and derived e-fuels.A stronger price on all shipping…

Northern Offshore Services (N-O-S), a subsidiary of Northern Offshore Group (NOG), an NYK Group company that operates crew transfer vessels in the global offshore wind industry, has upgraded a crew transfer vessel (CTV) to run on biomethanol.Designed and developed by N-O-S, the vessel has been named Transporter. It is a conversion of a smaller A-class CTV to install a methanol engine.N-O-S plans to use only biomethanol as fuel, a clean, renewable fuel derived from sustainable biomass.David Kristensson…

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently hosted the 83rd meeting with the Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC 83), resulting in a new fuel intensity target, which is set to come into force no later than March 2027.This new regulation is similar to the Fuel EU regulation enforced this year, but with global fleet coverage. The major effect of this new IMO GHG regulation will be to enforce a financial penalty for using cheaper, carbon intensive fuels like Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO)…

The maritime industry has worked with a single fuel source for over a century and with the rush to meet emission standards in both domestic and foreign markets, adapting to the current list of alternative fuels is going to present significant problems. Each market has its issues whether bluewater, brownwater, coastal, foreign or domestic.Chose any of the larger global shipbuilding yards and the basic bluewater ship design will include a large two stroke combustion engine.To remove…

China's first integrated offshore hydrogen-ammonia-methanol project, which will produce clean fuels for ships, has entered the trial operation phase in Yantai, in eastern Chinse province of Shandong.Jointly developed by CHN Energy Hydrogen Energy Technology, CIMC Raffles and Guoneng Hydrogen Innovation Technology (Beijing), the initiative represents the nation’s first comprehensive demonstration project for offshore hydrogen production, storage, transportation and utilization…

An ammonia bunkering pilot has been undertaken between two vessels at a terminal in the port of Rotterdam.The pilot, conducted on April 12, involved transferring 800 cubic meters of liquid, cold ammonia at -33 degrees Celsius between two ships. This took about 2.5 hours and was conducted alongside a new quay at the Maasvlakte 2 APM terminal.Various parties collaborated on the pilot, facilitated by the Port of Rotterdam Authority. OCI, owner and operator of the port’s ammonia terminal…

Northern Offshore Services (N-O-S) has taken delivery of the world’s first 100% biomethanol-powered crew transfer vessel (CTV), chartered by Vestas.M/V Transporter, designed, developed and provided by N-O-S, is a conversion from A-Class to T-class.The vessel is a 25-meter, high-speed catamaran with an updated and improved hull design, 24 pax seating, specially designed for fast and reliable transfer of technicians and light cargo.The initiative is in collaboration with Vestas…

Aussies are reputed to be a nation of gamblers who would bet on two flies crawling up a wall. That might be anyone’s race, but when predicting what the most popular alternative fuel will be, the odds seem to be increasingly in favor of LNG.It seems there is now a clear pathway where previously LNG was considered more of a transition fuel that didn’t have a strong presence in 2050 shipping fuels. New ambitions and new technologies are making it a stronger contender despite the…

The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping has gained Approval in Principle (AiP) from ClassNK for the retrofitting of a conventionally fueled Kamsarmax bulk carrier to dual fuel methanol.Led in collaboration with Japanese shipbuilder Tsuneishi Shipbuilding, the project assessed the techno-economic feasibility of a retrofit from fuel oil to dual fuel methanol, establishing a model that could pave the way for a broader green transition within the medium size bulk carrier sector.With Kamsarmax bulk carriers representing a significant share of the existing fleet…

The Baltic Exchange has launched the maritime industry’s first free Fuel Equivalence Converter, a digital calculator that helps owners, traders, brokers and charterers to navigate the complexity of the physical properties of the wide variety of marine fuels that are currently available on the market.The converter enables users to compare the mass, volume and energy content of various traditional bunker and green fuel options to better understand how their bunker supplies would…

AAM Towage and Caterpillar Marine signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to evaluate and implement alternative power solutions to diesel, including electrification and alternative fuels such as methanol and ethanol, for the tug fleet.Both companies are already working on a dual-fuel engine—the Cat® 3500E—which will use methanol and is expected to begin testing this year.SAAM Towage is active in towage and marine services at more than 90 ports in 13 countries in the Americas.

Lloyd’s Register’s (LR) latest Fuel for Thought report states that LNG remains the dominant alternative marine fuel readily available to the shipping industry. The report highlights LNG’s growing adoption, its cost-effectiveness under tightening emissions regulations and the urgent need to address methane slip to ensure its future as a viable low-carbon fuel.Fuel for Thought: LNG reveals a significant resurgence in orders for LNG-capable vessels, with an expanding global fleet and rapidly growing bunkering infrastructure.

Eni, Fincantieri and RINA have produced a new report: “Sustainable Maritime Transport Outlook” which is focused on the maritime sector and developed with the technical support of Bain & Company Italy.The study aims to contribute to accelerating the decarbonization of the maritime transport sector, in line with the Net Zero target for 2050. It forms part of the broader framework of the agreement signed on March 25, 2024, by Eni, Fincantieri and RINA, with the shared goal of establishing…

Latest figures from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform indicate that a total of 25 new orders were placed for alternative-fueled vessels in March 2025.Methanol was the biggest activity driver, accounting for 12 of these new orders. This was spread across diverse segments, with cruise vessels and car carriers accounting for three each, one offshore vessel, one bulk carrier, and the remainder crude oil/chemical tankers.Seven orders were placed for LNG-fueled vessels…

CIMAC has released a new guideline titled “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – ISO 6583:2024: Methanol as a Fuel for Marine Applications – General Requirements and Specifications.”CIMAC is the leading global non-profit association promoting the development of ship propulsion, train drive and power generation. The association consists of national member associations and corporate members in America, Asia and Europe.The new FAQ document addresses 32 frequently asked questions across six sections.It follows the publication of ISO 6583:2024 in November 2024…

The UK Maritime Minister Mike Kane has revealed the government’s new goals for all vessels that operate in UK waters and dock at UK ports to be carbon free.Part of the government’s Plan for Change, the new Maritime decarbonization strategy sets out goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, 80% by 2040 and to zero by 2050.This will see the UK match the highest level of the ambitious goals agreed at the IMO in its 2023 strategy on reduction of greenhouse gas emission from ships.

European Shipowners (ECSA) and Sea Europe have issued a joint statement calling on the European Commission to include the maritime sector in the European Industrial Maritime Strategy as well as in the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP).“Both initiatives should ensure the international competitiveness of European shipping which is a prerequisite for a strong and competitive European maritime industrial cluster. Addressing the widening innovation gap in Europe is the only way to enhance the European industrial base.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has joined the e-NG Coalition, an international alliance that aims to accelerate the development and use of e-methane to accelerate the decarbonization of shipping industry.With the addition of MOL, the total number of participating companies of the e-NG alliance has increased to 20.Through its participation in the alliance, MOL will establish an international supply chain for next-generation fuels and accelerate its initiatives to reduce the environmental…

The outcome of MEPC 83 in April could establish the IMO’s mid-term GHG and carbon pricing strategy for achieving net-zero by around 2050. Not everyone is waiting; they have enough confidence in the LNG pathway to order new ships.According to the latest figures from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform, 34 new orders for alternative-fueled vessels were placed in February 2025, 33 of them for LNG-fueled container ships.The trend is continuing this week with CSSC subsidiary…

Uncertainty about the scale and nature of the IMO’s proposed carbon levy is holding back investment in shipping, according to the Christopher J. Wiernicki,  Chairman and CEO of American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).“A carbon levy is a wild card. It will all depend on how it is implemented and enforced. There’s a huge question mark over whether this will deliver for the industry and there is much still to be decided,” said Wiernicki.Wiernicki expressed his concerns during an appearance at CERAWeek energy conference.“Will the levy be set at $18, $100 or even $150 per ton?

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the CMA CGM Group have renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance sustainable shipping and innovation.The MoU was signed by Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive of MPA, and Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group. It renews an earlier MoU signed in 2022.Under the MoU, CMA CGM plans to expand its fleet and vessel tonnage, adding more vessels under the Singapore Registry of Ships, including four 23,000 TEU LNG vessels.