Classification society DNV has added 14 more LNG dual-fuel ships to its Alternative Fuels Insight platform in September, mostly containerships, as the newbuild market remains slow.
According to Martin Wold, principal consultant at DNV, contract cancellations limited the net increase to six LNG-powered ships.
These cancelations include the four Seaspan’s 7,700-teu ships at K Shipbuilding.
“This last quarter was the slowest on record since the fourth quarter of 2020 with a net increase of 26 ships, which we attribute mainly to reduced newbuild contracting in general,” Wold said.
Besides LNG-fueled vessels, Wold said that methanol growth also continues with SAL Heavy Lift’s order for four methanol-fueled heavy lift ships for the offshore wind market.
“Total count for methanol-fueled ships now stands at 66 ships, with approximately 40 percent of that fleet also transporting methanol as cargo,” Wold said.
833 confirmed LNG-powered ships
According to DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight platform, 321 LNG-powered ships are already in operation, while there are 512 LNG-fueled vessels on order.
Owners also placed orders for 229 LNG-ready vessels.
LNG-powered car and passenger ferries continue to lead the way with 42 in operation. The operational fleet also includes 41 oil/chemical tankers, 40 containerships, and 40 crude oil tankers.
As per vessels on order, LNG-powered containerships account for a big part of the orders with 171 units. Owners also ordered 97 car carriers, 53 bulk carriers, and 49 crude oil carriers.
These statistics do not include smaller inland vessels or dual-fuel LNG carriers.
Besides LNG-powered and LNG-ready vessels, there are 39 bunkering vessels in operation and 18 on order, the platform shows.
