Data show an alt-fuel heavy orderbook while the fleet grows due to limited recycling and higher deliveries
A fullscale ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of liquefied ammonia off the coast of Ceuta on 2 September 2025 provides a practical marker of how quickly operational alt-fuel capability is evolving.
NYK reported 23,000 tonnes were transferred between the ammonia carriers Berlian Ekuator and Eco Enchanted under “stringent safety protocols”, noting this was its first liquefied ammonia STS for the company.Ceuta was also the scene of a previous ammonia STS bunker trial.
NYK highlighted STS as a flexible supply method compared with land-based handling. Parties to the venture were Mitsui & Co, time-charterer of Berlian Ekuator, and Trammo, operator of Eco Enchanted.
NYK said the result would inform its work on fuels and safety.
Set against this development, the latest World Fleet Monitor from Clarkson Research Services (CRS) shows a widening transition gap between the pipeline of new vessels and the in-service fleet.
CRS records the alt-fuel capable orderbook at 155M gross tonnage (gt) at the start of September 2025, equal to 52% of gross tonnage on order, while only 9% of the fleet is alt-fuel capable despite 21M gt of such tonnage delivering in January to July 2025.
CRS places January to August 2025 vessel deliveries at 50M gt, up 4% year-on-year, with demolition limited at around 5M gt for the same period.
Weak deletions supports growth in the in-service fleet, which stands at 114,657 ships and 1.7Bn gt at the start of September 2025, with an orderbook of 7,265 ships and 300M gt.
