Wood Mackenzie's Director of Research, Matthew Wheatley, stated at ARACON in Rotterdam that conventional oil bunkering demand is experiencing a structural decline. He forecasts that by 2030, liquefied natural gas (LNG) will displace more than 400,000 barrels per day of oil bunker demand. LNG is identified as the main source of incremental marine fuel demand and represents the most significant growth story in the near-term energy transition for shipping.
This shift is supported by existing and expanding bunkering infrastructure in key global hubs, including Rotterdam, Singapore, and China. The availability of this infrastructure is crucial for facilitating the transition to LNG as a dominant marine fuel.
For freight forwarders and ops managers, this trend indicates a growing availability of LNG-fueled vessels, potentially influencing carrier choices and routing decisions. While LNG offers environmental benefits, the transition may also introduce new considerations regarding fuel availability in certain ports and potential price volatility for alternative fuels. Shippers might see a gradual shift in vessel types deployed on major trade lanes, driven by carriers' decarbonization strategies.