The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) released the final two reports in a series of six on alternative fuels and decarbonization technologies on February 25, 2025, prepared by a consortium led by ABS, with contributions from CE Delft, Arcsilea, and Texas A&M University, according to ABS's release.
The reports analyze nuclear power and synthetic fuels—specifically e-diesel, e-methane, and e-methanol—focusing on greenhouse gas impact, sustainability, availability, scalability, techno-economic aspects, regulations, risk, and safety.
The four-year project, initiated in 2021, aimed to support the European Commission, Member States, the shipping sector, and European ports in transitioning to carbon-neutral shipping. Earlier reports covered biofuels, ammonia, hydrogen, and wind-assisted propulsion. The total series addresses key decarbonization options for the maritime industry, providing technical data for regulatory and operational planning.
“At ABS, we continue to support the global energy transition through in-depth research and collaboration with industry partners. This set of six reports together represents a substantial body of work that advances the safe adoption of these fuels, which will be the foundation of the industry’s move to low- and zero-carbon operations,” said Vassilios Kroustallis, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Business Development.
“Several types of potential bunker fuels could play an important role in the transition of the maritime shipping sector toward climate neutrality. CE Delft is proud to have also contributed to the fifth study on potential future fuels, which covers the remaining set of fuels: e-diesel, e-LNG and e-methanol. The study allows a consistent comparison with the previously studied fuel types and shows the challenges ahead as far as costs and upscaling of the synthetic fuels are concerned. Regulatory measures seem to be indispensable for their further development and uptake,” said Dagmar Nelissen, CE Delft Senior researcher and consultant.
The synthetic fuels analysis highlights e-methanol production costs, estimated at $800–$1,200 per ton in 2025.
ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) is an U.S.-based classification society founded in 1862, ABS provides safety and certification services for the maritime and offshore industries globally.