A total of 56 vessels able to use methanol as a fuel are now in operation or on order, according to classification society DNV.

In its monthly update on the company’s Alternative Fuels Insight, DNV lists oil and chemical tankers and container ships as the sectors with the largest uptake, logging 25 and 23 methanol fuelled vessels respectively.

There are also now 665 battery-powered vessels and 109 ships able to use LPG as fuel.