Alternative to Fossil Fuel

Alternative to Fossil Fuel

Transitioning to alternative fuels and technologies across transport modes.

Theme: Sustainability
Industry Adoption: ⚫ ⚪ ⚪ ⚪ Early Stage
Impact: ⚫ ⚫ ⚪ Significant

A 2024 Maersk survey shows that decision makers rank Alternative to Fossil Fuel 14th out of the top 15 trends.

The transition to alternative fuels is reshaping logistics, with biofuel technologies such as biodiesel, biogas and bio-methanol, as well as e-fuels such as methanol and ammonia, offering sustainable solutions to decarbonisation. These innovations address pressing challenges such as geopolitical dependencies and global warming, a consequence of rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While biofuels and e-fuels are commercially used, hydrogen and ammonia remain in earlier phases.

Market activity reflects this evolution. Over 10,000 patents have been filed between 2019 and 2023, with approximately 850 groundbreaking innovations – an impressive volume, though the ratio of transformative developments is moderate. Scientific engagement is high, with about 4,500 publications, while C-Suite discussions have declined from 780 mentions in 2022 to 340 in 2024, suggesting a shift from experimental exploration to the early stage of industry adoption. Startup activity remains limited, with just over 10 new ventures since 2015, highlighting significant entry barriers.

people
Startups  (Sum of startup since 2015) 

10+

clipboard-check-text
Innovation Patents Total (2019-2023)
~10,000
thereof groundbreaking: 850+
people
C-Suite Mentions 2022 vs 2024
2022: 780+
2024: 340+
chemical_bottles
Science Publications (sum) 
~4,500
Average values of the top ten trends: Startups: 57; Patents 9,327 (thereof 316 groundbreaking); Science Publications: 6,141; C-Suite Mentions 1,376; More C-Suite mentions typically signal that trends are in the early or early adopter stage, while fewer indicate movement towards full integration or the industry standard.
maersk shipment

Explore the Global Logistics Trends of 2025

Find the trends relevant to you in The Logistics Trend Map

Top 15 Trends

Share of Key Decision Makers, who consider the trend to be relevant for their company’s logistics  

alternative-to-fossil-fuel-graph

Alternative To Fossil Fuel – Relevance by Industry 

alternative-to-fossil-fuel-graph

Alternative fuels in vehicles and ships significantly reduce GHG emissions and improve operating efficiency. Early adopters can benefit from a competitive advantage. Declining battery prices and technological advances that support decarbonisation could also lead to long-term cost savings, particularly if these technologies offset costs over their lifespan.

What are the opportunities?

Alternative fuels may significantly reduce GHG emissions and improve operational efficiency. Falling battery prices and advances in technologies that support decarbonisation could also lead to long-term cost savings. 

What are the challenges?

Challenges include high initial costs, limited availability and infrastructure, and regulatory hurdles. Many companies remain cautious, waiting for cost parity and broader infrastructure development.  

Sources:

The Logistics Trend Map downloadable report

Unlock insights from the Top 10 Trends that will shape the future of your supply chain and help you go all the way.

The Logistics Trend Map interactive 30 trends

Navigate the dynamic world of logistics with the top 30 trends, to help you go all the way.
Be ready for anything to go all the way
We hope you found this interesting. Download the full report to get access to all insights and analysis on the top 10 trends.