A total of 147 ports around the globe can bunker LNG to vessels at the moment and this figure is likely to reach 200 by 2024 as demand continues to grow, estimates from Clarksons Research show. Europe is leading the way with LNG bunkering infrastructure, with the majority of its top ports offering the service, including those in the Netherlands, Germany, and Norway, followed by major ports in Asia and the Americas. The expansion of the global bunkering capacity comes as LNG capable newbuilds reach 37% of all vessel type newbuilding capacity currently under construction. The interest in LNG as fuel has seen a major upswing in the shipping industry over the recent period with dual-fuel technology being the likely choice for newbuilds. The rise in demand has also brought about a record contracting of newbuild LNG carriers, with 104 vessels of 17.4m cbm and $22bn ordered in 2022 as of mid-July.
