Brookes Bell Joins Discussion on Scaling Alternative Marine Fuels

Brookes Bell joined the wider marine market in Oslo in November to be a part of Marine Insurance Nordics 2025, with Michael Banning, Senior Marine Engineer and Fuel Specialist, joining a high-level panel discussion on one of the industry’s most pressing questions, “Alternative Fuels – Will They Scale and Deliver on Time?”

The session looked at the growing pressure on the maritime sector to move faster on decarbonisation and asked whether new alternative fuels can genuinely scale by 2030. With regulations still evolving and market expectations changing quickly, the panel discussed whether biofuel blends may remain the most practical short-term option while the industry works through the technical and commercial uncertainties ahead.

Michael joined the panel, moderated by Neil Mathew, Claims Executive at Gard AS, alongside representatives from West of England P&I, Lockton Edge, and Odfjell SE. Together, they discussed the challenges linked to fuel availability, infrastructure readiness and safety, as well as the wider risk implications for both insurers and shipowners. They also explored how insurers can play a positive role in supporting innovation by helping shipowners manage uncertainty and encourage safer adoption pathways as the industry moves towards greener fuels.

Marine Insurance Nordics 2025 brought together leading voices from across maritime, insurance and sustainability, offering valuable perspectives on how the sectors can work together to meet decarbonisation targets responsibly and efficiently.

Brookes Bell is proud to contribute to these conversations and remains committed to supporting the industry as it navigates ongoing change and new challenges associated with the adoption of alternative fuels.

“The shift towards alternative fuels is one of the biggest challenges facing the sector, and it will take honest conversations and careful work to get it right,” said Michael. “At Brookes Bell, we see first-hand how important it is to approach these developments with solid technical understanding and close collaboration. Being part of this panel was a valuable opportunity to share the practical insights and discuss how we can best support the industry to move forward with confidence.