European Shipowners (ECSA), Airlines for Europe (A4E), which represent the shipping and aviation sector at European level, along with the green transport group Transport & Environment (T&E) issue today a joint statement calling on the Commission and the EU member states to ramp up the production of clean shipping and aviation fuels in Europe.
T&E and the two industry associations highlight that meeting the targets of the European Green Deal and ensuring that these industries remain competitive requires immense investments. These investments should aim to produce clean shipping and aviation fuels to decarbonise these difficult-to-decarbonise transport sectors. According to the Draghi report, around 100 billion EUR in investment is needed annually for European shipping and aviation alone for the energy transition.
The joint statement urges for immediate action and proposes that the upcoming Clean Industrial Deal prioritises scalable renewable fuels for shipping and aviation. The Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP) should ramp up the production in the EU of at least 40% of the fuels needed under FuelEU Maritime and ReFuelEU Aviation.
The three organisations also support the use of European and national ETS revenues to de-risk projects and the development of a matchmaking platform to facilitate access to clean shipping and aviation fuels. European Shipowners, A4E and T&E support infrastructure mandates to foster the development of ports and airports as renewable fuel hubs.
“The Draghi report has found that European shipping alone needs 40 billion euro annually to decarbonise. The Clean Industrial Deal must set the conditions to make clean fuels available for shipping. We need enormous investments for clean fuels, certainty through robust binding requirements, and simplification of access to public and private financing. This is vital to keep European shipping internationally competitive while ensuring a thriving, innovative industrial cluster” said Sotiris Raptis, Secretary General, ECSA.
“Europe badly needs an industrial strategy to scale e-fuels for shipping and aviation. Europe has the money, the know-how and the green goals. What it lacks is clever financial instruments to kickstart manufacturing and uptake of hydrogen-based fuels. We must act now to build the industries of the future or risk losing out to other global players once more.” said William Todts, Executive Director, T&E.
“Airlines and shipowners are coming together to deliver a simple message: we need affordable scalable renewable fuels and innovative technologies now to help our industries decarbonise. This means the EU must step up and help unlock the vast public and private investments needed to make them a reality. There’s not a moment to lose and acting today will ensure our industries remain strong, competitive and more sustainable into the future,” said Ourania Georgoutsakou , Managing Director, A4E
