Alternative-fuel vessel orders are advancing faster than the port infrastructure required to supply them, making bunkering availability an increasingly important consideration in trading-route decisions, according to an LR report covered by Hellenic Shipping News. Citing Clarksons Research, the report put the number of alternative-fuel-capable ships on order in January 2026 at 1,942, equivalent to 47% of worldwide orderbook tonnage.
The supply network varies considerably between fuels. LNG bunkering was available at 222 ports, while only 25 were actively supplying methanol. The first commercial ammonia bunkering operation took place at Ulsan, South Korea, in April 2026. Against that infrastructure backdrop, LR counted 385 methanol-capable and 45 ammonia-capable vessels on order. Most ports exploring ammonia were still working through pilots, trials or the development of safety frameworks.
LR’s Fuel for Thought: Ports report argues that owners must assess newbuilds and conversions against fuel availability at their intended ports of call. Kamran Ul Haq, senior vice president at LR Ports Advisory, said ordering a vessel capable of using alternative fuels did not guarantee access to those fuels where it would trade. Commercial and near-commercial developments were concentrated around Northern Europe, North Asia and Singapore, underlining the limitations of global readiness measures for individual routes.
The report describes LNG as having an established bunkering network with near-global reach. Biofuel blends offer the most immediate deployment potential because existing bunker infrastructure can largely handle them. Methanol supply is gaining a commercial foothold at a limited group of major ports, while ammonia remains less developed outside Ulsan. Hydrogen use is still largely confined to short-sea shipping and demonstrations.
Biofuel delivery data also showed substantial concentration. LR’s Fuel Oil Bunker Analysis and Advisory Service recorded drop-in biofuel deliveries at 90 ports over the preceding 12 months. The 13 largest locations represented 77.5% of recorded bunker volumes, with Singapore accounting for more than a quarter, Hellenic Shipping News reported.
For ports, LR recommends matching investment to credible demand rather than preparing for every fuel. Specific vessel programmes and green shipping corridors can help reduce infrastructure risk. The report also identifies berth-level risk assessments, licensing, emergency readiness and trained staff as essential foundations for moving alternative-fuel supply from trials into routine operations.