Global LNG bunkering activity continued to expand strongly in 2025, but the market’s centre of gravity has shifted from fleet expansion to higher utilisation of existing assets, according to new analysis from Kpler.
Data from analytics firm Kpler shows global LNG bunkering volumes climbed to almost 4 million tonnes last year, up 38% from 2024. While this growth rate was slower than the doubling recorded the year before, it marks a structural change in how the market is developing.
Only three LNG bunkering vessels were added globally in 2025, two of them newbuilds, compared with ten deliveries in 2024. The acceleration in volumes, therefore, reflects stronger operational use of the existing LNG bunkering fleet rather than the arrival of large amounts of new capacity.
Kpler data also shows that demand growth was unevenly distributed across regions.
Asia emerged as the main growth engine, accounting for almost half of the global increase, with volumes rising by 45% year-on-year.
Europe remained the largest regional market overall, but growth slowed to 26% as the focus shifted towards higher utilisation of established infrastructure. The Americas recorded the fastest expansion, with volumes up 57% year-on-year, albeit from a smaller base.
Full report from Kpler available here
LNG bunkering market – key data (Kpler)
- Global LNG bunkering volumes (2025): ~4.0 million tonnes (+38% year-on-year)
- LNG bunkering vessels added in 2025: 3 (including 2 newbuilds), vs 10 in 2024
- Regional growth in 2025:
- Asia: +45% year-on-year (around half of global growth)
- Europe: +26% year-on-year (largest market overall)
- Americas: +57% year-on-year
- Dual-fuel vessels analysed: 500+ (2024–2025 operations)
- Share of theoretical LNG demand realised: ~35%
- Passenger vessel LNG utilisation: ~90%
- Potential LNG bunkering demand: ~11 mtpa
- Actual LNG bunkering demand: ~4 mtpa
- Unrealised LNG demand: ~7 mtpa
Source: Kpler
