ECSA calls on EU to specify hydrogen-based fuels in Net-Zero Industry Act

The European Community Shipowners’ Association (ECSA) says the EU should expand the scope of its "strategic net-zero technologies" definition to include renewable hydrogen-based e-fuels like methanol and ammonia.

PHOTO: Danish shipping company A.P. Møller – Mærsk currently has a total of 19 methanol-fuelled container vessels under construction. A.P. Møller – Mærsk

Adding hydrogen-based e-fuels in the Act, says ECSA, will boost production of affordable low-and zero-carbon marine fuels and technologies.

The European Commission (EC) tabled a draft proposalfor the Net-Zero Industry Act yesterday. The draft proposal defines electrolysers and fuel cells, biogas/biomethane, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and technologies related to manufacturing and deploying renewable hydrogen as "strategic net-zero technologies". These are particularly those that are “commercially available and have a good potential for rapid scale up.”

The ECSA’s secretary general Sotiris Raptis argues that European shipowners need a “clear plan for the development" of an EU-wide supply chain for cleaner marine fuels and marine-related technologies.

By Konica Bhatt

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