European shipowners strongly welcome the inclusion of clean fuels for shipping, including advanced biofuels and e-fuels, in the list of net-zero technologies adopted April 25 under the Net-Zero Industry Act.
The new law introduces a benchmark for the Commission and the EU Member States to match 40% of the deployment needs for clean fuels for shipping with production capacity.
This is a vital step to ensure that clean fuels for shipping are made available in the market at an affordable price, as a prerequisite for shipping to meet its target under the Fuel EU Maritime Regulation. Scaling up the production and uptake of clean fuels for shipping is a top priority for European shipping.
Sotiris Raptis, European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA)’s Secretary General, said: “European shipowners have consistently requested for a mandate on the European fuel suppliers to scale up and make clean, affordable and safe fuels available in the market. Matching European fuel industrial capacity with the EU targets under the FuelEU Maritime is essential.
“We welcome the 40% benchmark for the production of clean fuels such as advanced biofuels and e-fuels as a stepping stone towards an international scale-up of alternative sustainable fuels for shipping. We will work closely with the Commission to ensure that the 40% benchmark is translated into immediate action”.
Photo credit: iStock/ Tanankorn Pilong
