According to the latest data by Alphaliner, LNG-fueled containerships make up over half of the entire orderbook.
The current global containership orderbook includes nearly 800 vessels, representing a combined capacity of over 9 million TEU. In response to newly established Emission Control Areas (ECAs) and tightening global emissions regulations, shipowners are increasingly shifting away from scrubber-fitted vessels toward LNG- and methanol-fueled alternatives.
Furthermore, LNG-fueled ships now account for more than 56% of the total orderbook capacity with over 5.1 million TEU, according to Alphaliner. However, in terms of vessel count the LNG domination is less pronounced, even though the largest chunk of 346 ships (43.4% of total) are still orders of this type.
Despite this shift, scrubbers remain the most widely used emissions reduction technology in containerships with more than 22% of the global fleet by vessel count and over 41.5% by capacity, currently operate with scrubbers installed.
Larger vessels are given priority for alternative fuels with around 76.9% of all LNG-powered newbuilds and 63.1% of methanol-fueled orders are for containerships with capacities exceeding 10,000 TEU.
