EMEA News
Shipping Groups Back EU Clean Deal, Demand Clearer Green Fuel Roadmap
The European Commission unveiled the Clean Industrial Deal on Wednesday to scale up green fuel production in Europe to help decarbonise sectors including shipping.
The plan focuses on lowering energy costs, boosting clean-tech manufacturing, and mobilising over €100 billion in funding.
A key aspect is ensuring the availability of zero and low-carbon fuels for sectors like maritime, which will require significant investment to transition to net-zero emissions.
Shipping organisations, including the European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) and Danish Shipping, have expressed their support for the deal.
"European Shipowners strongly welcome the recognition of shipping under the five sectors across which the Clean Industrial Deal should be implemented," ECSA said in a statement on its website on Wednesday.
ECSA asserts that targeted investment in the production, distribution, and adoption of sustainable maritime fuels under the forthcoming Sustainable Transport Investment Plan is essential for achieving the sector's decarbonisation goals while maintaining the competitiveness of European shipping.
As part of the Clean Industrial Deal, the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan will introduce short- and medium-term measures to support the production of renewable and low-carbon fuels for sectors like aviation and shipping.
"EU member states must use the 9 billion of the shipping ETS revenues to support the production of clean fuels, Sotiris Raptis, ECSA secretary general, said.
"We also urge the Commission to cut red tape and ensure an international level playing field."
Danish Shipping has welcomed the plan but has also issued a cautionary note.
"The Commission is focusing on exactly the right areas: competitiveness and green transition, Anne H. Steffensen, CEO of Danish Shipping, said.
"However, I need to see concrete plans for a massive scaling up of green fuel production.
"Without green fuels to power our ships, we will never achieve our goal of climate-neutral shipping," Steffensen noted.
Environmental group T&E also welcomed the EU's plans to boost green fuel production for shipping but urged more clarity on how the price gap between fossil and cleaner fuels would be addressed.
