Dual-fuel container ships and vehicle carriers in service rise 41% to 503 - World Shipping Council

Another 849 are on order, but conventional-fuel orders have also grown amid uncertainty over IMO greenhouse gas rules.

The fleet of dual-fuel container ships and vehicle carriers reached 503 in September, up from 358 a year earlier, the World Shipping Council (WSC) said. The ships can run on both conventional marine fuels and alternative fuels.

A further 849 ships are on order, taking the total delivered or due to 1,352. The WSC puts total investment in those ships at more than $200 billion. Methane-capable and methanol-capable ships lead the container ship orderbook by capacity, with one ammonia-capable container ship also on order.

Dual-fuel ships account for 65% of container ship orders and 97% of vehicle carrier orders by deadweight tonnage, which measures carrying capacity. They make up 23% of orders for the rest of the global fleet.

Orders for conventional-fuel ships have also risen from a year ago, the WSC said, amid continued uncertainty over IMO greenhouse gas regulation. The WSC backs a global IMO measure to narrow the cost gap between conventional and alternative fuels.

“The investment is happening, but these ships need commercially competitive alternative fuels to deliver their full potential to reduce emissions,” said WSC president and chief executive Joe Kramek.

By Tuhin Roy

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