Fortitude Shipping, a subsidiary Petredec, has placed an order of up to four ethane/ethylene-capable handysize vessels at Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering.

Latest figures from DNV indicate that there are now 230 ships in service or on order that will operate on methanol as fuel, but the tank space required is considerably higher than conventional fuels.

UK-based Purus Marine has placed an order for two very large ethane carriers (VLECs) at a price of $170 million each from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea.

Stolt Tankers has inked an agreement with China’s Wuhu Shipyard to build six 38,000dwt stainless steel parcel tankers.

Newbuilding demand at Chinese shipbuilders has continued apace this year with the volume of newbuilding orders up 76.7% in the first nine months of 2023.

Owners of EU-flagged ships will now be able to dispose of vessels for recycling at demolition yards on the Indian subcontinent provided that they meet European Union Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR) criteria.

Damen Dredging Equipment (DDE) has delivered three cutter suction dredgers (CSD) to Mexico SEMAR.

Greece’s Naftomar Shipping has placed an order with South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, for 4 of the largest ammonia carriers yet to be built, worth $496 million.

China Merchants Energy Shipping is ordering eight vessels from China Merchants Industry at a total cost of $508 million to expand its bulk, car carrier, and multi-purpose fleets.

The development of dual-fuel engines for ammonia and methanol is accelerating and will be the norm for ships combined with energy saving devices and technology.