AI Overview of biofuel use22 Nov 2025 09:15
While an exact, comprehensive global count is difficult to ascertain as many ships use biofuel blends as a "drop-in" fuel without major modifications, as of early 2025, at least 80 container ships from major carriers like CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd were using biofuel blends in their operations. Biofuel use in shipping has increased significantly since initial trials, but it still accounts for a very small fraction of total maritime fuel consumption.
Key details regarding container ships and biofuel use:
CMA CGM In early 2023, the company had 32 vessels running on B30 biofuel (a blend of 30% biofuel and 70% conventional fuel) as part of a wider trial and ongoing operations.
Hapag-Lloyd As of early 2025, almost 50 of their container ships were running on FAME-based biofuel blends and bio-LNG.
"Drop-in" Fuel Biofuels, particularly those made from waste like used cooking oil, can often be used in existing ship engines with minimal to no modifications, making them an immediate solution for reducing emissions from the current global fleet of around 55,000 ships.
Trials and Adoption The number of ships using biofuels has grown rapidly from limited trials before 2022 to hundreds of voyages using blends in 2022.
Market Share Despite the increase in individual ship use and trials, biofuels made up only a small percentage (around 0.1% to 1.7% depending on the source and year) of total marine fuel consumed in the early 2020s.
The primary obstacle to wider adoption is not engine technology, but the sustainable supply and cost of the fuel, as the maritime industry competes with the aviation and road sectors for feedstock.
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