Alt Fuel Interest not Visible in Newbuild Intentions: Survey

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday December 20, 2022

A snapshot survey to gauge the attitudes of dry bulk owners and operators towards alternative bunker fuels shows that despite the rising interest, the likelihood of alt fuel capable newbuilds materialising remains steady.

The number of owners that might consider ordering a new methanol-burning ship has changed little over the past year, the survey found.

"Some methanol supporters appear to have become stronger supporters of methanol but overall
support for it has dropped slightly from 69% to 66%."

Enthusiasm for hydrogen and its carrier fuel ammonia seems to have waned over the period.

Two-thirds of survey participants think hydrogen-fuelled newbuildings will be ordered at some point (with 2030 the key year) but this represents a fall from the 84% who thought they would be ordered either before or after 2030 a year ago.

The 2nd annual bulk carrier decarbonisation survey is published by consultancy Shipping Strategy.