In Japan, Australian mining giant Rio Tinto and Japanese shipping company NS United Kaiun Kaisha signed a contract for two methanol dual-fuel bulk carriers delivering from 2028, a move that gives Rio Tinto the flexibility to switch from conventional fuel to methanol as supply chains for the cleaner fuel develop. The ships, each capable of […]
In South Korea, Busan Ilbo reports that defense and shipbuilding giant Hanwha signed an agreement on April 17 in Busan with four partners including the Korea Marine Equipment Research Institute to develop and test hydrogen fuel cell propulsion for ships, a technology the industry sees as critical to meeting tightening International Maritime Organization emissions rules. […]
In China, the world’s largest methanol dual-fuel container ship berthed at a finishing dock in Nantong on April 21 under maritime authority escort, as the 399-meter vessel capable of carrying 24,168 twenty-foot equivalent units neared the end of its outfitting phase ahead of sea trials planned for June. The ship, designated Nantong Kawasaki 456, was […]
In Europe, the European Commission has published verified EU Emissions Trading System data for 2025, showing maritime emissions dropped roughly 3% year-on-year, continuing a broader sectoral decline as shipping falls under tighter carbon compliance pressure. The figures arrive as the ETS marks two decades of operation, having halved total covered emissions since its 2005 launch […]
In China, Ningbo Zhoushan Port has completed the first cross-regional blended biofuel bunkering operation in East China, delivering 2,600 tons of B24 biofuel to the COSCO Spain at Meishan Port. The B24 blend combines 24% biodiesel with 76% high-sulfur fuel oil, requires no engine modifications, and is compatible with scrubber-equipped vessels. It delivers roughly 20% […]
In Hong Kong, Venture Energy, a subsidiary of shipowner Wah Kwong Maritime Transport, has signed a green methanol procurement agreement with Shanghai Shenji Energy, with first delivery scheduled for the first half of 2026. The methanol, produced from municipal waste, crop straw, and livestock manure, carries ISCC EU certification and meets the EU’s Renewable Energy […]
In the United Kingdom, Lloyd’s Register has published a report positioning LNG as the most mature and immediately deployable alternative fuel for the cruise sector, with 30 LNG-capable cruise ships already in service and 29 more on order among vessels over 20,000 gross tons. The report identifies methane slip as LNG’s most pressing liability. Unburned […]
In Hong Kong, the Transport and Logistics Bureau has launched what it calls the world’s first government-led training program designed to build green maritime fuel expertise across the shipping industry. The program, run in partnership with the UN Global Compact’s Maritime Just Transition Task Force and hosted at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, follows a train-the-trainer […]
In South Korea, Belgian shipping company EXMAR has named the world’s first ocean-going vessels capable of running on ammonia as fuel. The two 46,000 cubic meter mid-size gas carriers, christened Antwerpen and Arlon, are the culmination of a joint development program with HD Hyundai launched three and a half years ago. The ships can cut […]
In Brazil, mining giant Vale has struck a deal with Shandong Shipping Corporation to build the world’s first ethanol-fueled ocean-going vessels, with the first ship set to enter service in 2029. The 340-meter Guaibamax vessels, each carrying 325,000 tonnes of iron ore, will run primarily on ethanol but can also burn methanol and heavy fuel […]
