Synthetic fuels are essential for decarbonisation maritime transport. This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by the market research company Mo'Web for Accelleron from Switzerland, interviewing 200 managers of the sector. Around 93% of these believe that e-fuels, i.e. Synthetic fuels with the potential to be climate neutral made using electricity produced from renewable energy sources, make a decisive contribution to a more sustainable tenable. A similar proportion (92%) believe that e-fuels can make a significant contribution to reducing the global CO2 emissions from shipping, far exceeding alternatives including biofuels (69%), natural gas liquefied (60%), fossil-derived hydrogen (52%) and fossil fuels combined with systems for capturing the carbon (32%).

The research specifies that from the survey conducted among executives of from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain is found that the largest group of respondents (44%) expects that the availability of e-fuels will continue to be limited until 2030, although almost everyone is hopeful whereas supply issues will be addressed by 2050. To improve the availability of fuels synthetics, more than half (58%) of respondents calls for government incentives and subsidies for the production of e-fuel. This is also in view of the cost of e-fuels, whereas three-quarters of respondents believe that they will remain in the 12 years higher than that of the fossil fuels and do not expect that the parity of can be reached before 2040. Four companies of In addition, the regulatory framework for the insufficient and a lack of political support for the introduction of the synthetic fuels.

Another aspect taken into account for the introduction in the the maritime transport sector of synthetic fuels is that of the problems of their use to power ship engines: The survey, in fact, shows that their implementation is considered technically complex by the vast majority of companies (82%), even though those with a higher annual turnover are less concerned. Among the most important obstacles frequently cited for the introduction of e-fuels, in addition to the lack of availability (46%), there are high change costs for their use (50%) and problems infrastructure for their distribution (43%).

Nevertheless, two-thirds of companies currently believe that that the use of synthetic fuels is an advantage and almost half of the respondents have already concrete plans to invest in their use. For the majority (60%), the adaptation of existing ships to operate with e-fuel is considered the best medium-sized strategy deadline for decarbonisation, and 36% are already planning the technical adaptation of its vessels.

To prepare for the use of synthetic fuels, Navigation currently rely more frequently (47%) to in-house training. In addition, 41% are looking for strategic partnerships with e-fuel suppliers, while 36% are planning a technical modernisation of their vessels. In addition due to the target set by the International Maritime Organization for the decarbonisation of maritime transport by 2050 and the high impact of synthetic fuels in the three-quarters of the companies achieving this goal interviewees expect that they will no longer be able to do without e-fuel by 2045 at the latest.

noting that the survey highlights the great potential of e-fuels for the decarbonisation of maritime transport, Accelleron's managing director, Daniel Bischofberger, noted that 'the overall focus of the sector is between the Lawmakers must now move quickly towards construction of the right infrastructure for better availability and towards the right state incentives to achieve equality of the long-term costs between fossil fuels and fossil fuels. synthetics'.