World News
May Saw 36 Alternative-Capable Ship Orders as Ethanol Debuted: DNV
Image and data credit: DNV
May saw a total of 36 alternative-capable ships ordered, including the first ethanol-capable ships, according to AFI platform numbers from classification society DNV.
The orders were largely driven by LPG/ethane carriers, totalling 26 in the month, Kristian Hammer, product manager for AFI and senior consultant at DNV, said in a LinkedIn post on Thursday.
May orders were slightly down from 38 in April, but still up from five alternative-capable ships ordered in March.
Eight LNG-fuelled vessels were ordered in May, primarily from the container segment.
Two ethanol-fuelled vessels were also ordered – the first such order recorded in the AFI database.
Ethanol is emerging as a potential marine fuel because of its availability and lower lifecycle emissions.
Ship & Bunker previously reported that two 320,000 DWT vessels capable of running on ethanol were ordered in May. The ships will operate under long-term charters for Brazilian mining company Vale and feature engines from WinGD.
A total of 119 alternative-capable ships were ordered in the first five months of 2026, with LNG accounting for 60 vessels.
“Looking at the wider market, alternative-fuelled vessels account for a smaller share of the total tonnage ordered so far this year, compared to the same period in 2025,” Hammer said.
Key Bunker Prices More
| VLSFO | MGO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $/mt | +/- | $/mt | +/- | |
| Singapore | 963.00 | 26.00 | 1351.50 | 10.50 |
| Rotterdam | 766.00 | 3.00 | 1446.00 | 11.50 |
| Houston | 817.00 | 11.50 | 1421.00 | 1.00 |
| Fujairah | 981.00 | 12.00 | 1768.50 | 17.50 |
| Global 20 Ports Average | 929.50 | 10.50 | 1565.00 | 13.00 |
| Global 4 Ports Average | 882.00 | 13.50 | 1496.50 | 9.50 |
| Global Average Bunker Price | 978.50 | 20.00 | 1616.50 | 18.50 |
Popular Now More
-
Oct 23Rotterdam's bunker sales recovered slightly in Q3 from the previous quarter, but volumes remained well below year-earlier levels. -
Oct 23The acquisition includes eight bunkering vessels and a long-term lease for 28,000 m3 of tank capacity in Turkey. -
Oct 21Trading Director Maaz Ahmed tells Ship & Bunker that the firm plans to deploy more bunker barges in the future.