LNG bunker fleet may need to reach double by 2030: DNV

Supply capacity could become a barrier to the wider use of the marine fuel.

The global liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker vessel fleet may need to more than double by 2030 as demand from LNG-fuelled ships grows faster than the bunkering infrastructure needed to supply them, according to DNV.

Between 165 and 208 bunker vessels could be needed globally by the end of the decade, DNV said in its white paper, Gas bunker vessels: facilitating the transition to alternative fuels.

Without further investment across the bunkering value chain, fuel supply could become a constraint on the adoption of LNG in shipping, the classification organisation said.

“LNG-fuelled shipping is growing faster than the bunkering network needed to support it,” said Martin Cartwright, Global Business Director for Gas Carriers and FSRUs at DNV Maritime. “Closing this gap will require coordinated investment across the bunkering ecosystem, underpinned by robust safety standards, operational readiness and competence.”

The paper examines regulatory requirements, vessel design, technical considerations and operational practices for gas bunker vessels.

It also identifies the conversion of suitable small-scale LNG carriers into bunker vessels as an option to expand the fleet.

DNV highlighted the importance of operational readiness, safety management and competence development as bunkering operations increase and spread to more locations.

The paper focuses on LNG but also considers ammonia as a potential marine fuel.

“The infrastructure, operational experience, and safety frameworks being developed for LNG bunkering today are expected to play an important role in supporting the future deployment of ammonia bunkering solutions,” DNV said.

The white paper also considers how gas bunker vessels can support LNG demand and future fuel pathways such as biomethane.