• DNV’s Maritime Forecast to 2050 shows shipping’s energy transition entering a new phase.
• Alternative-fuel-capable vessels will almost double by 2028. By 2030, they could burn 50 Mtoe of low-GHG fuels – double the volume needed to meet IMO targets.
• Actual consumption today: only 1 Mtoe. Fleet readiness is surging, but fuel supply and infrastructure lag far behind.
• IMO’s Net-Zero Framework (pending adoption in October) is already influencing investment and operational choices.
• Key solutions identified:
  • Use existing fuel infrastructure for biodiesel and bio-LNG.
  • Deploy more efficiency measures on newbuilds.
  • Adopt onboard carbon capture (OCC).
  • Accelerate wind-assisted propulsion (WAPS), reducing fuel use by 5–20%.

Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO DNV Maritime: “The stage is set for the next phase of the maritime energy transition.”

Download the 2025 edition of the Maritime Forecast to 2050