Dual-fuel boxship, vehicle carrier fleet tops 500 as investment exceeds $200B

More than 500 dual-fuel container ships and vehicle carriers are now operating worldwide, with total investment in dual-fuel ships delivered and on order surpassing $200bn, according to the latest World Shipping Council (WSC) dual-fuel fleet dashboard.

As of September 2026, 503 dual-fuel ships were on the water, up 41% from 358 at the same time last year. A further 849 ships are on order, bringing the total delivered or on order to 1,352 ships.

These ships are designed to operate on either conventional marine fuels or alternative fuel types, including renewable and lower-emission fuels.

“The container ship and vehicle carrier industry have committed more than $200 billion to ships that can run on cleaner fuels, with more than 500 already sailing and hundreds more on the way,” said Joe Kramek, president and chief executive officer of the World Shipping Council. “The investment is happening, but these ships need commercially competitive alternative fuels to deliver their full potential to reduce emissions.”

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