Thirty new orders for alternative-fueled vessels were placed in October 2025, according to DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight platform, signaling a recovery after several weak months in the third quarter despite continued uncertainty related to global emissions regulations.
LNG-fuelled vessels dominated the month’s activity with 26 orders, all from the container segment. The remaining four orders were for methanol-fuelled vessels, with three in the tankers segment.
Despite October’s uptick, the year-to-date picture remains subdued. A total of 222 orders for alternative-fuelled vessels were placed in the first 10 months of 2025, representing just 52% of orders placed during the same period in 2024. LNG-fuelled vessels continue to lead with 67% of all alternative-fuel orders this year, totaling 147 ships. Methanol-fuelled vessels follow with 47 orders, while LPG carriers account for 19, ammonia-fuelled vessels for 5, and hydrogen-fuelled vessels for 4.
The container segment now dominates alternative-fuel vessel orders, accounting for 65% of all new orders in 2025.
Infrastructure investment also advanced in October, with four LNG bunker vessels and two bunker vessels capable of supplying methanol and biofuel added to the orderbook. While these vessels are not included in alternative-fuelled vessel statistics, they represent continued commitment to supporting the emerging alternative-fuelled fleet.
Jason Stefanatos, Global Decarbonization Director at DNV Maritime, welcomed the improvement while acknowledging ongoing challenges. “Following some weak months, it is encouraging to see stronger numbers in the alternative-fuelled space in October, both for vessels and with further investment in bunkering infrastructure. While activity remains well below last year’s levels, it is important to recognize that this is happening within a weaker overall newbuild market,” Stefanatos said.
Regulatory uncertainty has been identified as a key factor affecting market sentiment. Stefanatos previously noted that “uncertainties around the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework, including lifecycle assessment factors for certain fuels, are prompting many owners to adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach to new orders.”
Last month, the IMO postponed the adoption of its Net-Zero Framework by one year following pressure from the United States, Saudi Arabia, and other countries, pushing the adoption vote to October 2026. The framework aims to bring international shipping emissions down to net zero by 2050 and would create the world’s first global carbon pricing mechanism for shipping, with revenues expected to reach up to $15 billion annually from 2030.
“Although issues of regulatory uncertainty are yet to be solved, the push for maritime decarbonization continues, led by the container segment and driven by a range of actors, including cargo owners, financiers, and shipowners themselves. This continued commitment across the industry signals that the transition to cleaner fuels remains firmly on the agenda,” Stefanatos added.
The IMO will reconvene for technical working group talks from April 20-24, 2026, followed by the 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee from April 27 to May 1.
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Mr Mike Schuler