Maritime Leaders Urge EU to Lead on Methane Abatement in Shipping

· MAMII calls on EU to lead in regulating and investing in methane abatement.

· The open letter, ahead of the publication of the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal, advocates clear policies, incentives, and penalties to cut emissions.

· Highlights Europe’s chance to drive innovation and boost economic growth.

 

As the European Union prepares to unveil its Clean Industrial Deal on February 26, the Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative (MAMII) has issued an open letter urging the EU to implement clear regulations and ramp up investment in methane-cutting technologies.

MAMII argues these measures could position Europe as a global leader in clean shipping while boosting economic growth.

Today, liquefied natural gas (LNG) is the main source of methane as a fuel, with a strong potential future for bio-menthane and e-methane. While LNG is seen as an important pathway in shipping’s decarbonisation drive, unregulated methane emissions threaten to undermine its climate benefits.

 

MAMII warns that without immediate action, Europe risks falling behind in developing bio-methane and e-methane – two cleaner alternatives that could leverage existing ship engines and port infrastructure.

MAMII’s call to action focuses on two key areas: Clear regulations:

· The EU should set rules that drive methane reductions through both incentives and penalties. Incentives should support investment in low-methane engines and proven mitigation technologies, accounting for differences in machinery efficiency.

· Not all methane is equal – its carbon footprint depends on its source. Suppliers that cut, measure, and report emissions should be rewarded, with regulators adjusting default values to reflect real improvements.

 

Investment:

· Europe can lead in methane abatement and measurement technology, benefiting both industry and climate goals. EU funding should focus on scaling and commercializing these solutions.

 

Panos Mitrou, Chair of MAMII, said:

“The EU has a real chance to shape the future of clean shipping. With the right policies and investment, Europe can cut methane emissions, develop new fuel markets, and create jobs in a growing industry. But if we delay, we risk falling behind as others set the standards and reap the benefits.”

 

Launched in September 2022 by Safetytech Accelerator, MAMII brings together shipping giants, technology firms, and energy companies to advance methane measurement and mitigation. The initiative now includes more than 20 leading shipping and energy companies as anchor partners and a tech ecosystem of over 100 firms, with over half based in the EU.

Through pilot programs, MAMII facilitates collaboration between shipowners, operators, and technology companies to drive the adoption of effective solutions.

 

ENDS

 

The full open letter can be found below:

 

Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative (MAMII): Open letter welcoming the Clean Industrial Deal and Europe Union’s (EU) opportunity to lead the Maritime world with a regulatory framework that accelerates methane emission reduction and encourages investment in and development of European methane abatement technology.

Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) as a fuel is a key part of Maritime’s decarbonisation pathway and has a critical role in Europe’s energy security. LNG is primarily methane, it is therefore essential that methane emissions from both its use as a fuel on ships and the production process of the fuel are minimised.

Solving the methane emission problem for LNG opens a pathway to bio-methane and e-methane, utilising the existing machineries onboard and port infrastructure, further accelerating the Maritime Industry’s decarbonisation journey and securing a low carbon future for Europe.

It also provides a major cleantech opportunity that Europe is poised to exploit for economic and social benefits.

 

Two key aspects are required:

1. Clear regulations:

· EU to play an active role in setting regulations that encourage the maritime industry to reduce methane emissions, using a balanced approach of incentives and penalties.

· Provide incentives for the maritime industry to invest in modern near-zero methane emission engines and methane mitigation technologies, that are proven to reduce actual methane emissions. Ensuring emissions calculations account for variations in machinery type and efficiency, recognizing that different engine technologies and onboard systems have varying methane emissions.

· Recognise that not all methane is the same, the carbon footprint of the source (well to tank) is critical to the overall GHG calculation (well to wake). Reward suppliers that reduce, measure and report methane emissions, and have regulators recognise these improvements by lowering default values that reflect the industry average.

 

2. Investment

· Europe has the opportunity to lead the industrial world in methane abatement and measurement technology for Maritime, opening up substantial revenue streams for technology companies, as well as decarbonisation benefits. EU investment support should target the industrialisation and commercialisation of methane abatement and measurement technology.

Methane Abatement in Maritime innovation initiative (MAMII) was launched in September 2022 by Safetytech Accelerator, bringing together industry leaders, technology innovators, and maritime stakeholders to advance technologies for measuring and mitigating methane emissions in the maritime sector and promote the adoption of validated solutions.

It currently has 20+ leading shipping and energy companies as Anchor Partners and a technology ecosystem of over 100 companies, more than half of which are EU based. It runs pilots and helps ship owner and operators engage with technology companies.

This letter represents the views and opinions of MAMII as a whole. However, it may not necessarily reflect the views of all individual members.