World Shipping Council reports $200 billion investment in dual-fuel vessels

The global fleet of dual-fuel containerships and vehicle carriers has surpassed 500 vessels, with shipowners committing more than $200 billion to ships capable of running on alternative fuels. According to the World Shipping Council (WSC) Dual-Fuel Fleet Dashboard, 503 dual-fuel vessels were in service as of September 2026, representing a 41% increase from 358 the previous year.

An additional 849 ships are currently on order, bringing the total number of delivered or ordered vessels to 1,352. These ships are designed to operate on both conventional marine fuels and alternative, lower-emission fuels, providing flexibility as new fuel supplies and infrastructure develop. Alternative-fuel-capable vessels account for 65% of containerships and 97% of vehicle carriers on order by deadweight tonnage, compared to 23% across the rest of the global shipping fleet.

WSC President and CEO Joe Kramek noted that while investment is significant, these vessels require commercially competitive alternative fuels to reach their full emission-reduction potential. The industry faces ongoing uncertainty regarding the International Maritime Organization’s proposed Net-Zero Framework and global greenhouse gas regulations.