Clean Maritime Fuels Platform, the new platform established European shipowners' association ECSA and fuel producers ( of the 12th September 2024), urges European policy to set standards useful for unlocking investments in the European Union intended for the production of clean marine fuels. Remembering that the recent Draghi report on the "Future of Competitiveness European Union" identifies maritime transport as one of the most important sectors that are more difficult to decarbonise, which will require around €40 billion in annual investments between 2031 and 2050, in a statement today on the Clean Maritime Fuels Platform stresses that 'access to clean marine fuels is a top priority for the decarbonisation of the shipping sector".

Highlighting the urgent need for investment to be public and private must be directed to this end, and agreeing with the conclusions of the Draghi report on investments needed to reduce emissions, shipowners and fuel producers urge politicians to introduce rules for reduce the risk of investments in renewable fuels, and low-carbon emissions, "for example," they specify through schemes based on contracts for difference and auctions as a service" and to launch specific calls in the field of Innovation Fund for the first implementation of decarbonization. And, to this end, they point out, "the 20 million EU ETS allowances allocated to the decarbonisation of the maritime sector until 2030 should be used as soon as possible". They also recommend 'expanding the existing financing for refuelling and charging infrastructure'.

He then noted that the energy transition of transport represents an opportunity to invest in the production capacity in Europe and to make the EU a leader in clean shipping fuels, shipowners and fuel producers claim that, in order to exploit this opportunities, useful rules are created to unlock the investments in the production of clean marine fuels in the European Union. "The goal - they explain - should be to create a European production capacity capable of meet EU demand for fuels as much as possible for maritime transport in Europe, in line with the benchmark of the NetZero Industry Act".

Again referring to the Draghi report which underlines the significant price gap between marine fuels and renewable and low-cost marine fuels carbon emissions, with the latter being up to five times more expensive, shipowners and manufacturers point out strongly support the report's findings that the EU must start building a supply chain for renewable fuels and low-carbon emissions, otherwise the costs of achieving the its climate targets will be significant. "The Boosting the production of clean transport fuels maritime policy in Europe - they conclude - must be a pillar of the Next Clean Industrial Deal and Maritime Industrial Strategy».