STORY / PUBLIC SOURCE RECORD
Bunkering fuel: A path toward sustainability
- Published 9 December 2024; updated 30 September 2026; estimated reading time 3 minutes. The primer defines bunkering as transferring marine fuel from shore tanks or specialised vessels into ship fuel tanks. It outlines preparation of vessels and transfer systems, the fuel transfer, tank sealing and documentation, with safety and spill prevention required throughout. Heavy fuel oil is described as the historical low-cost but highly polluting standard.
- It defines carbon-neutral fuels as fuels whose lifecycle does not increase net atmospheric CO₂, either because combustion emits no carbon or through carbon capture/storage. The article links this discussion to the IMO’s 2050 net-zero ambition.
- Alternative fuels covered are LNG, biofuels, ammonia and hydrogen, with different maturity levels. Renewable-powered ammonia can be produced without carbon emissions but is toxic and requires specialised storage, compatible engines, bunkering infrastructure and strict safety controls. Biofuels from organic feedstocks may be burned in existing engines with limited modifications; the article says crop growth can absorb CO₂, partly balancing combustion emissions.
- Hydrogen’s production method is indicated by colour: grey is produced from natural gas/methane; blue uses fossil feedstocks with carbon capture; green uses renewable electricity such as hydropower, wind or solar. The article says green hydrogen has no direct use-phase emissions.
- LNG is presented as a widely available, price-competitive fossil “bridging fuel” with lower emissions than conventional marine fuels. The page notes LNG is mainly methane with some ethane, liquefied by cooling. It reports a 62% increase in global LNG bunkering in 2023 versus 2022, citing Rystad Energy. Ship-to-ship fuelling is growing alongside conventional jetty/quay transfer; bunkering vessels use insulated, vacuum-separated tanks to limit heat ingress and safely handle cryogenic fuel.
- The article says engine retrofits and alternative-fuel adoption are developing quickly and frames a mix of fuels and technologies as necessary for maritime decarbonisation. Related links: articles on hydrogen/ammonia value chains, green ammonia fuel cells, hydrogen maritime systems, and Energy, Maritime and Hydrogen industries. The page has no named contact block.