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DNV: IMO Framework Could Increase Green Bunker Demand Fivefold by 2050

Adopting a global greenhouse gas framework at the IMO could lift low-emission bunker fuel demand more than fivefold by 2050, according to classification society DNV.

By Global Freight Newsroom, Newsroom deskShare:LinkedInXEmail
Vector illustration of a bunker barge refuelling a container vessel
A bunker barge alongside a container vessel. Editorial illustration — not a photograph of the events described. · Global Freight in-house illustration

Demand for low-emission marine fuels could expand by more than five times by 2050 if International Maritime Organization member states progress with a global regulatory framework to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Classification society DNV highlighted this forecast in an assessment released on August 26.

The projected growth in alternative bunkering volumes depends heavily on establishing binding international measures to limit maritime emissions. DNV indicated that global regulatory progress would be a primary driver for the accelerated uptake of cleaner marine fuels.

The outlook follows administrative delays at the United Nations maritime agency regarding its Net-Zero Framework. That regulatory measure had earlier received approval from member nations in April 2025.

Source attribution

This report was written by the Global Freight editorial desk based on material published by Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide. It is an original summary and analysis, not a reproduction of the source text. Figures and claims are limited to those present in the source material.

IMO could boost green bunker demand by more than five times: DNV
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