The topic of the research is the predicted impact of large spills or releases of alternative marine fuels. The fuels covered are those that have been identified as potential future fuels for the marine shipping sector by industry experts and government agencies overseeing the development of renewable and low-carbon fuels. Several of these fuels are already in use, such as liquefied natural gas, renewable diesel, ethanol, methanol, and biodiesel.

The property databases of these fuels are extensive enough to form predictive assessments. Other potential marine fuels, such as lignin ethanol, have not been extensively evaluated and are therefore not included is this study. For each fuel chemistry, the spill profiles and environmental impacts based on existing studies and relevant properties are identified. The technologies used to detect spills (especially those for crude oil detection) are also reviewed for their applicability with alternative fuels, and in some instances, recommendations to improve these technologies for use with a particular fuel chemistry are put forward. Finally, current containment and remediation technologies are reviewed and assessed for their efficacy at handling these alternative fuels.