J Lauritzen Orders Three Methanol-Fuelled Bulkers

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday November 21, 2023

Shipping firm J Lauritzen has ordered three new dry bulk carriers capable of running on methanol.

The company has ordered the three dual-fuelled Kamsarmax vessels from Tsuneishi Shipbuilding in Japan, it said in a LinkedIn post last week.

The ships will be chartered to Cargill for at least seven years from delivery.

"The vessels will be among the very first zero emission capable bulk carriers in the world, and they will be fully owned by Lauritzen NexGen Shipping, which J. Lauritzen and Lauritzen Bulkers A/S will use as a platform for further investments in zero carbon emission and future-proof assets for the shipping industry," the company said in the post.

Methanol is rapidly gaining in popularity as an alternative marine fuel, with orders of methanol-fuelled tonnage now coming in regularly from a variety of shipping segments. The main challenge for this market will be the scaling-up of green methanol supply in time to meet the needs of the new ships as they are delivered.