Germany needs 50 bunker vessels for future alternative fuels demand

Nearly 50 new bunker vessels will be needed to cater to future demand for alternative marine fuels in German ports by 2050, according to a recent study by German think tank NOW.PHOTO: The Port of Hamburg with the Elbe River in the background. Getty Images

According to the think tank’s projections, the demand for alternative marine fuels in German ports, including LNG, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen, is expected to touch 5 million mt by 2050, making up about 90% of the total’s bunker volumes by 2050.

The study projects that German ports in the North Sea and Baltic Sea will require 49 new bunker vessels to cater to future demand for alternative marine fuels. Of these, 17 bunker vessels will be needed for methanol supply, followed by 13 for LNG, 12 for ammonia, and 7 for hydrogen.

A total investment of around €1.74 billion ($1.87 billion) is needed to construct this number of bunker vessels, the study highlights.

The global LNG bunker delivery vessel fleet is currently made up of 56 vessels, with another 8-10 expected to join this year, DNV data shows. Around 26 of these vessels are currently deployed across Europe.

By Manjula Nair

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