The Baltic Exchange has launched the maritime industry's first free Fuel Equivalence Converter, a digital calculator designed to assist owners, traders, brokers, and charterers in understanding the physical properties of various marine fuels available in the market.
This tool enables users to compare the mass, volume, and energy content of both traditional bunker fuels and alternative green options, facilitating assessments of how bunker supplies would be affected to achieve equivalent energy levels.
Such data is critical for owners and operators aiming to reduce compliance costs or operate vessels on cleaner alternatives.
The converter currently includes fuels such as Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), High Sulphur Fuel Oil (HFO), Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (LSFO) Crude, LSFO Blend, Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (ULSFO), Marine Diesel Oil (MDO) & Marine Gas Oil (MGO), Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), ammonia, and methanol.
It supports various unit types, including metric tonnes (mt), cubic meters (cbm), and MMBtu, allowing users to understand the impact of different fuel options on vessel bunker fuel storage and management systems.
For instance, a 300,000 deadweight tonnage (dwt) Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) operating at an eco-speed of 11 knots in laden condition consumes 39.8 mt of VLSFO.
According to the Fuel Equivalence Converter, achieving the same energy output would require 38.4 mt of MGO, 33.4 mt of LNG, 82.4 mt of methanol, or 88.2 mt of ammonia.
Martin Crawford-Brunt, Emissions Lead at Baltic Exchange, stated, "With a number of standard and alternative fuels available on the market, finding the conversion rates and energy ratios of all of the options in one place is incredibly difficult. As the range of potential fuel alternatives increases, this converter enables owners, charterers, traders, and more to understand the physical properties and energy content by volume of each fuel type."
The Fuel Equivalence Converter is part of Baltic Exchange's ongoing efforts to support the maritime industry in navigating the complexities of fuel options and emissions regulations. It complements other tools provided by the organization, such as the FuelEU Maritime Calculator launched in December 2024 and expanded to include biofuels in March 2025.
The Baltic Exchange, headquartered in London, is a leading provider of maritime market information for the trading and settlement of physical and derivative contracts. Established in 1744, it offers a range of services, including market data on freight rates, vessel valuations, and maritime assessments.