LEIN Logistics Insights

Alternative-fuel ships outpace port fueling readiness

Source: gCaptain / Lloyd’s Register · Original publication: 2026-11-02

At a glance. A Lloyd's Register report says orders for alternative-fuel-capable vessels are outpacing the port bunkering infrastructure needed to supply them. Citing Clarksons Research, it reports 1,942 such vessels on order in January 2026, equal to 47% of global orderbook tonnage. LNG bunkering was available at 222 ports, methanol at 25, and commercial ammonia at one port. Availability varies by fuel and is geographically concentrated, and ordering a vessel does not guarantee fuel availability on its route.

Orders ahead of port readiness

Lloyd's Register's Fuel for Thought: Ports report finds that alternative-fuel-capable vessel orders are growing faster than the supporting bunkering infrastructure at ports. Using Clarksons Research figures, it puts the orderbook at 1,942 alternative-fuel-capable vessels in January 2026, representing 47% of global orderbook tonnage.

The report stresses that availability differs sharply by fuel type and is geographically concentrated rather than evenly spread across the network.

Fuel availability gaps

LNG bunkering was reported at 222 ports, methanol at 25, and commercial ammonia at just one port. These figures describe where each fuel can be supplied, not how much capacity exists at each location.

Because ordering a vessel does not guarantee fuel availability on its route, operators may wish to check bunkering options along planned trades before fixing vessel deployment.

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Prepared from the cited report for general information; the original publication date is shown above.