Maritime Vessel Uptake of Alt Fuels Proceeds ... Slowly

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.”