Hafnia Shifts Newbuild Strategy: Green Fuels “Difficult to Justify” | Mariner News
Hafnia, a prominent tanker operator, is strategically shifting away from ordering dual-fuel newbuilds, citing significant commercial challenges for green fuels at scale, according to Jørgen Thuesen, the company’s Vice President of Technical Projects.
Thuesen stated that green ambitions have waned, green fuel technology remains immature, and the industry faces considerable uncertainty regarding future IMO regulations. Consequently, Hafnia is now betting on flexible ships instead of committing to specific dual-fuel configurations.
This move by a major player underscores the profound commercial hurdles currently impacting the shipping industry’s decarbonization efforts. It highlights a pragmatic market reality where the economic viability of cleaner alternatives struggles to align with ambitious environmental targets, potentially influencing other owners grappling with similar investment dilemmas.
The pivot to “flexible ships” suggests a calculated hedging strategy by Hafnia. Rather than investing heavily in nascent green fuel pathways that currently lack commercial justification, the company is opting for vessel designs that can adapt to future technological advancements or regulatory shifts. This approach prioritizes long-term operational agility and asset value preservation, signaling a cautious wait-and-see posture that could temper broader market commitments to specific alternative fuels in the short to medium term.
