March 18, 2026 β The webinar “Navigating Maritime Decarbonisation between IMO and EU Policies” was held, organized in the context of the REFOLUTION project, to shed light on the regulatory and technological landscape transforming global maritime transport and the innovations emerging in the sector.
The event featured five speakers who analyzed the energy transition from different perspectives: from applied research to policy strategies to industrial integration.
THE CONTRIBUTION IN DETAILS
Silvia Forin (Senior Researcher at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland)
Focus: Sustainability and Challenges of the REFOLUTION Project. Silvia Forin opened the session by contextualizing the crucial role of the REFOLUTION project in the European landscape. Her presentation focused on the need to unlock the potential of existing European refineries for the production of advanced biofuels (from forest residues).
- Key points: She illustrated how integrating processes such as Co-FCC and hydrotreatment (HT) can reduce the carbon footprint by 60%.
- Sustainability: She presented a rigorous set of indicators (LCA) ranging from biodiversity to water management, ensuring that biofuel production complies with the criteria of the EU taxonomy and does not compete with the food supply chain.
DOWNLOAD THE PRESENTATION of Silvia (VTT) HERE!
Tom Walsh (CEO of Renetech and National Coordinator for IEA Bioenergy Task 39)
Tom Walsh provided a practical guide to navigating recent EU directives, explaining how they will impact shipowners operationally.
- Incentive Mechanisms: Walsh explored the functioning of multipliers (e.g., 1.2x for advanced aviation/maritime biofuels and 1.5x for RFNBO), essential tools for making these technologies competitive.
- Compliance Strategies: He illustrated FuelEU Maritime’s “pooling” system, which enables flexible fleet management: a single high-performance vessel (e.g., powered by liquefied biomethane) can offset the emissions of over 30 conventional vessels, facilitating a gradual but effective transition.
DOWNLOAD THE PRESENTATION of Tom (Renetech) HERE!
PΓ€ivi Aakko-Saksa (Principal Scientist at VTT) and Juha Lehtonen (Research Professor at VTT)
With a rigorously technical-scientific approach, the two experts analyzed the state of the art of new fuels, highlighting how methanol and e-fuels are rapidly climbing the ranks of maritime decarbonization.
- Standardization: They emphasized the importance of the new ISO 6583:2024 standard for methanol as a marine fuel, citing the success of small-scale dual-fuel engines (UP-TO-ME project).
- Market Data: They highlighted how nearly 10% of the gross tonnage currently on order worldwide is designed for methanol, a sign of growing market confidence in this molecule.
The market’s confidence in this direction is confirmed by the numbers: today, nearly 10% of the global tonnage currently on order is for “methanol-ready” or methanol-powered ships. This is no longer just laboratory research, but a strategic choice that the maritime industry is already adopting to chart a course towards the future.
DOWNLOAD THE PRESENTATION of PΓ€ivi and Juha (VTT) HERE!
Matteo Prussi (Associate Professor at Polytechnic University of Turin)
He outlined the IMO’s strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which formally aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. This path is punctuated by ambitious checkpoints for the carbon intensity of international shipping: a minimum 40% reduction by 2030 (compared to 2008 levels) with the ambition of reaching at least 70% by 2040.
To support these goals, the IMO is working on robust guidelines for measuring emissions over the entire life cycle of fuels (Well-to-Wake).
DOWNLOAD THE PRESENTATION of Matteo (POLITO) HERE!
The webinar confirmed that the challenge of decarbonization is not merely technological, but requires unprecedented harmonization between regional (EU) and global (IMO) regulations. REFOLUTION continues to act as a bridge between cutting-edge research and industrial implementation, guiding the sector towards a cleaner future.