European shipowners and fuel producers join forces and launch Clean Maritime Fuels Platform

Access to clean maritime fuels is a top priority for the decarbonisation of the shipping sector. The recently published Draghi report on the Future of European Competitiveness identifies shipping as one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise, requiring around 40 billion in annual investments between 2031 and 2050. The report highlights that, while the EU is a world leader in sustainable renewable and low-carbon fuels for the decarbonisation of transport, it has limited installed capacity and planned production. The EU needs to start building a supply chain for clean fuels, or the costs of meeting its targets will be significant.

The new Clean Maritime Fuels Platform is a bottom-up industry initiative aiming to enhance communication between the shipping sector and fuel producers and to identify common challenges and possible solutions, considering the implementation of the Fit for 55 package and the transition to a net-zero economy by 2050.

Today, representatives of ECSA, FuelsEurope, eFuel Alliance, EWABA, HydrogenEurope and Methanol Institute held their first meeting and agreed on the objectives and the working principles of the new platform. Members also started to discuss the key topic of infrastructure gaps.The platform will focus on policies and tools to support the production and uptake of clean maritime fuels in Europe including areas such as maritime in EU ETS and funding opportunities.

The platform will hold regular meetings with ECSA taking care of the secretariat’s tasks.

“Today, the shipping and energy industry join forces and launch a dialogue platform that can facilitate better flow of information about the common challenges we are facing. We need all hands on deck to make the energy transition happen. In order to meet our targets, we need clean fuels available in the market in sufficient quantities and at an affordable price. European shipowners are proud to launch with the fuel producers the Clean Maritime Fuels Platform”, said Sotiris Raptis, ECSA Secretary General.

“The launch of the Clean Maritime Fuels Platform is a significant milestone in our collective journey towards sustainable shipping in Europe. By bringing together the expertise and innovation of the maritime sector of Europe and fuel manufacturers, the Platform will explore the opportunities and challenges of the production, supply and use of renewable and low-carbon maritime fuels. This collaboration will help both our industries to be at the forefront in contributing to the Fit for 55 and Green Deal objectives while continuing to thrive in the global market place”, stated Liana Gouta, Director General of FuelsEurope.

“There are numerous challenges to a swift and reliable supply of renewable marine fuels. Through a regular exchange with other industry representatives and by making concrete proposals to optimize the European regulatory framework, we aim to make immediate progress for the maritime industry and other transport sectors with this initiative”, said Ralf Diemer, Managing Director of the eFuel Alliance.

“We are very excited to launch the Clean Maritime Fuels Platform today. Our 55+ members from across the EU are working tirelessly to produce waste-based and advanced biodiesel of the highest quality requirements and GHG savings to bring a new era of clean shipping to Europe. We believe that a closer collaboration between renewable fuel suppliers and ship owners will significantly reduce technical, operational, and financial barriers across the supply chain for the development and uptake of renewable maritime fuels”, said Angel Alvarez Alberdi, Secretary General of EWABA.

“Hydrogen Europe is pleased to be part of this joint initiative to enhance the manufacturing, supply, and uptake of clean fuels in the maritime sector. Following the adoption of new legislation and objectives within the Fit for 55 package in the last term, the timing is right for the next European mandate to ensure a coherent and comprehensive framework for decarbonised shipping. European and national policies, implemented with the right funding instruments, must be complemented by international policies under the IMO to ensure this is achieved without deteriorating the competitiveness of European industry. Renewable and low-carbon e-fuels can play a key role in the decarbonisation of the maritime sector, but their large-scale production and uptake need to be facilitated as soon as possible”, said Daniel Fraile, Chief Policy Officer of Hydrogen Europe.

“The energy transition is a gradual journey, not an overnight change. It demands a robust regulatory framework and collaboration among all stakeholders involved to drive effective decarbonization. As we work alongside our 100 members through the complexities of this transition, the Clean Fuels Maritime Platform will play a crucial role in accelerating our shift to cleaner fuels and innovative technologies. By combining our collective expertise and efforts, we are not only tackling the pressing need for emission reductions but also laying the groundwork for a more resilient and sustainable maritime industry”, said Greg Dolan, CEO of Methanol Institute.

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About us:
ECSA represents 21 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.

FuelsEurope represents the EU conventional and renewable fuels & industrial value chains products manufacturing industry in the policy debate with EU Institutions and other stakeholders, providing an expert opinion on the production process, distribution and use of our industry’s products, in order to contribute to a regulatory framework that promotes the energy transition, boosts sustainable development through supporting a competitive EU industry and establishes effective, technically feasible and sustainable requirements.

The eFuel Alliance is an interest group committed to promoting political and social acceptance of eFuels and to securing their regulatory approval. We represent more than 170 companies, associations and consumer organizations along the eFuel production value chain. We stand for fair competition and equal competitive condition for all relevant emission reduction solutions. We are firmly committed to further climate change mitigation and seek recognition for the significant part eFuels can play in sustainability and climate protection. Our aim is to create the conditions for the industrial production and widespread use of CO2-neutral fuels from renewable sources of energy.

Hydrogen Europe is the leading association representing European based companies and stakeholders from the hydrogen sector that are committed to moving towards a carbon neutral economy by accelerating the European hydrogen industry. With more than 600 members, Hydrogen Europe encompasses the entire value chain of the hydrogen ecosystem: from production, distribution to end uses, including Industry, EU regions & H2 National Associations.

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 +55 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

Methanol Institute is the global trade association, representing the world’s leading methanol producers and distributors, transporters, shipowners, and technology companies. With over 100 members and offices in Washington D.C, Brussels, Delhi, Singapore, and Beijing, we serve as the voice of the global methanol industry, promoting methanol as a key chemical building block and an alternative fuel for transportation and power generation