With this joint statement, the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), EWABA, eFuel Alliance, the Advanced Biofuels Coalition and GoodFuels would like to express their support for the achievement of the objectives of the European Green Deal, EU Climate Law and the Paris Agreement. As an important part of the European economy, shipping has a role to play in ambitious climate action in Europe. The Commission’s proposed regulation for FuelEU Maritime is crucial in promoting the uptake of clean fuels in shipping. However, as it stands now, the Commission proposal falls short of ambition and fails to address the key role of other stakeholders such as the fuel suppliers. If adopted in its current form, the proposal might not deliver the EU’s ambitious climate objectives for shipping.

With this in mind, ECSA, EWABA, eFuel Alliance, the Advanced Biofuels Coalition and GoodFuels call on the EU Member States and the members of the European Parliament to implement the following revisions to the EU’s proposed FuelEU Maritime regulation:

 

• Support more ambitious targets under Article 4.2 in order to align them with the decarbonisation pathway compatible with the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement and with EU Climate Law.

 

• The responsibilities of the fuels suppliers are essential to achieve the ambitious regulatory targets as called for above. Thus, we call to introduce robust requirements on Member States under the FuelEU Maritime to ensure that fuel suppliers in European ports deliver compliant fuels to ships in sufficient quantities in order to meet the regulatory objectives. In addition, fuel suppliers should have a recognised role under the Renewable Energy Directive.

 

• To support all clean fuels to maximise both a quick uptake and a sound development of decarbonisation solutions for the EU maritime sector.

 

• Earmark the revenues generated under the EU ETS and the FuelEU Maritime to facilitate the energy transition of the sector and contribute to lowering the price differential between cleaner and conventional fuels and clean alternatives, inter alia through the carbon contracts for difference. In this regard, the establishment of a fund under the EU ETS to leverage the revenues so that to clean fuels become commercially available is strongly supported.

 

ECSA represents 19 national shipowners’ associations based in the EU and Norway. European shipowners control 39.5% of the global commercial fleet, contribute 149 billion euros per year to the EU GDP and provide 2 million Europeans with careers both on board and ashore. ECSA strives for a regulatory environment that fosters the international competitiveness of European shipping, to the benefit of the EU.

EWABA is a Brussels-based association representing the interests of the European waste-based and advanced biofuels industry before EU institutions, national governments, industry, civil society and the media. We promote the inclusion of waste-based and advanced biofuels in the EU fuel mix as a sustainable means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in EU transport. Our +35 members active in most EU Member States collect and use waste and advanced feedstocks listed in parts A and B of Annex IX of the Renewable Energy Directive (REDII) to produce sustainable biodiesel with the highest GHG savings (up to +90%) when compared with fossil fuels, thus enabling “near-term decarbonization” of the EU road and maritime transport sectors.

The eFuel Alliance is interest group working for the political and social acceptance of eFuels and for their approval. We represent more than 170 companies, associations and consumer organizations along the eFuel production value chain. We stand for fair competition and a level playing field for all relevant emission reduction solutions. We are clearly committed to greater climate protection and want to see the significant contribution of eFuels to sustainability and climate protection more widely recognized. Our goal is to enable the industrial production and widespread use of CO2-neutral fuels from renewable energy sources.

The Advanced Biofuels Coalition, LSB, is a coalition of leading advanced biofuels technology developers and producers committed to making a significant contribution to meeting the EU ambitions of decarbonizing the transport sector. Advanced biofuels bring multiple benefits in terms of CO2 reduction, investments, revenues for farmers and forest owners, improved waste management practices, job creation and an increase in energy security. LSB represents 11 companies from 8 countries.

GoodFuels is a sustainable marine biofuels pioneer based in the Netherlands. We developed and introduced the world’s first sustainable biofuel made from waste streams for the maritime sector. Shortly after, we introduced the world’s first bio-residual fuel oil, a sustainable replacement for heavy fuel oil. Our fuels reduce greenhouse gases by up to 85% as compared to their fossil equivalent and have very low levels of sulfur. Our fuels are currently being used by more than a hundred shipping companies. They are mostly bunkered out of the Netherlands and soon also Singapore. Our mission is to accelerate the energy transition in the maritime sector within and beyond the European borders.