CIMAC publishes new position paper on future marine fuels

CIMAC, the Association of the Internal Combustion Machinery Industry, has published a new position paper on future marine fuels.

Published by the CIMAC Greenhouse Gas Strategy Group, the intention of the paper is to indicate which eFuels are most relevant for future propulsion systems from today’s point of view, and comment on policy measures to promote the uptake of these fuels. 

“Decarbonization of international shipping is achievable and a harmonized legal framework is needed. The recently published IPCC report emphasizes the urgency of pursuing a global reduction in CO2 emissions as early as the 2020s,” says Dirk Bergmann, chairman of CIMAC’s Greenhouse Gas Strategy Group. 

Selection of right fuel plays a central role

“We now need to identify and describe the steps necessary to reach the goal. We are keen to support this process in a targeted manner. The selection of the right fuel plays a very central role here, since net zero and zero carbon fuels represent the biggest lever to achieve climate neutral shipping,” Bergmann says.

The paper looks at the different fuel options, but also expresses that a definite and predictable legal framework promoting the development and scaling of (net) zero carbon fuels is essential to secure the necessary high investments of the coming years. 

“This legal framework needs to be homogenous and consistent, and ideally is defined on a global level,” says Peter Müller-Baum, CIMAC secretary general.

The CIMAC strategy group on Greenhouse Gas will also publish white papers soon to look into the details of different options and technologies. The topic will certainly play a major role during the CIMAC World Congress in Busan, South Korea, that will take place from June 13 to 17, 2022. 

The CIMAC position papers are all available online here.