Maritime Vessel Uptake of Alt Fuels Proceeds ... Slowly

March 2, 2026

Chart courtesy DNV
Chart courtesy DNV

According to the latest figures from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform, 17 new orders for alternative-fuelled vessels were placed in February 2026.

This was almost entirely accounted for by LNG-fuelled vessels (14), with all of these orders placed by the container segment.
The remaining three orders were for dual-fuelled ethane gas carriers.

A total of 37 alternative-fuelled vessels have been ordered in the first two months of the year, compared to 54 in the first two months of 2025.

A further two orders were also placed for LNG bunkering vessels in February, continuing the steady expansion of the LNG bunkering orderbook, in line with the growing LNG-fuelled fleet.

Jason Stefanatos, Global Decarbonization Director at DNV Maritime, commented:

“These figures mark a relatively slow month in the alternative-fuelled space, with activity notably lower than the same period last year. LNG again dominates the orderbook, driven largely by container operators responding to cargo-owner expectations for lower-emission transport.

"It is also encouraging to see continued growth in the LNG bunkering fleet, reflecting the increasing need for supporting infrastructure as more LNG-fuelled vessels enter operation.

"On a broader level, these figures underline that the fuel transition is progressing, albeit at a more measured pace than we have seen over the past two years.”

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