Page 161 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΣ 2024

At its essence, shipping is about managing risk and hav-
ing fuel options supports this risk management. This is
reflected in AP Moller-Maersk’s recent decision to add
LNG as an alternative fuel to power some of its vessels,
alongside the methanol-powered vessels it already has
on the water or in shipyards.
The transition to cleaner energy will be a gradual pro-
cess, not an abrupt switch from conventional bunker
fuels to renewables. For methanol, the path involves
expanding from conventional, natural gas-based produc-
tion to blue or low-carbon methanol created from carbon
capture and progressively to fully renewable methanol.
As one of the most widely traded commodities in the
world, conventional methanol remains crucial in the early
stages of this transition.
The MI believes there is a need for market-based mea-
sures and the adoption of well-to-wake accounting of
greenhouse gas emissions in marine fuel to provide clear
incentives for a progressive shift to renewables.
Embracing methanol aligns with regional policies, such
as the EU’s Fit for 55 initiative, global measures, such as
the IMO’s revised GHG strategy, and emission reduction
targets in the United States, driving the maritime indus-
try towards a sustainable future while not sacrificing
competitiveness.

Industry collaboration
To accelerate this change, the MI partnered with ECSA,
eFuels Alliance, Hydrogen Europe, Fuels Europe, and
EWABA to launch the Clean Maritime Fuels Platform.
The Clean Maritime Fuels Platform is a bottom-up indus-
try initiative aiming to enhance communication between
the shipping sector and fuel producers and to identify
common challenges and possible solutions, consider-
ing the implementation of the Fit for 55 package and the
transition to a net-zero economy by 2050.
The recently published report on the Future of European
Competitiveness by former EU Commissioner Mario
Draghi 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 signifi-
cant, and the platform will be a major contributor to this
process. The platform partners are committed to work-
ing towards higher availability of renewable methanol
at reasonable price levels, something that vessel oper-
ators identify as a critical issue. That will require a close
and continuous dialogue between buyers and suppliers,
translating policy signals into investment opportunities.
Expanding the burgeoning infrastructure for fuel delivery
at port level is also necessary. Several projects have been
initiated at major ports, and regular bunkering operations

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