LNG bunkering is available at 222 ports worldwide, while methanol bunkering is offered at just 25, according to a new report by Lloyd’s Register (LR).
The report emailed on Monday, Fuel for Thought: Ports, found that 1,942 alternative-fuel-capable vessels were on order as of January 2026, accounting for 47% of global orderbook tonnage, based on Clarksons Research data.
The gap is particularly pronounced for emerging fuels.
The report identified 385 methanol-capable and 45 ammonia-capable vessels on order, while the infrastructure needed to supply them remains concentrated in a small number of ports.
Commercial ammonia bunkering has taken place at only one port, Ulsan in South Korea, where the first operation was completed in April 2026.
LR said shipowners need to consider fuel availability alongside trading routes when making newbuild and conversion decisions.
“The fleet is moving faster than the infrastructure needed to support it,” Kamran Ul Haq, senior vice president of ports advisory at LR, said.
He said ports should focus on fuels for which credible demand is likely to emerge, rather than prepare for every alternative fuel.
The report found that LNG has a mature bunkering network, while biofuels can largely use existing infrastructure.
Methanol is becoming established at a small number of major ports, while ammonia remains at an earlier stage of development.
LR also highlighted the importance of safety frameworks, licensing, emergency preparedness and workforce training in expanding alternative-fuel supply.
