Sixty-eight newbuildings were contracted with alternative fuelling in the first three months of 2024, up 54% on the 44 ordered in the opening quarter last year, according to DNV.

The classification society’s global decarbonisation director, Jason Stefanatos, said: “As seen by the exponential year-on-year growth for new orders in the first quarter of the year, the alternative-fuelled fleet is expanding at a rapid pace.