Sailing to a green future

Sea Tech Week 2024: Workshop Green fuels for the maritime sector: challenges, risks and ways forward

On October 16th, 2024, the stage was set in Brest, where the Green Fuel Transition Workshop stole the spotlight as part of the highly anticipated Sea Tech Week® 2024 (October 15th-17th). The event brought together a powerhouse of maritime experts, innovators, and trailblazing organizations to map out bold strategies and groundbreaking actions for transforming the maritime sector into a green powerhouse.

We heard experts from all over Europe explore the challenges posed by the FuelEU Maritime regulation, and how the maritime sector can rise to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets. The conversation also delved into the big questions: how do we close the price gap between e-fuels and conventional fuels? How do we build refuelling infrastructure that supports large-scale adoption of hydrogen?

Key Moments from the Workshop

The workshop tackled urgent challenges and opportunities related to the energy transition in maritime transport, with a strong focus on scaling up green fuels, establishing hydrogen infrastructure, and navigating the FuelEU Maritime regulations.

A major highlight was the presentation by Koen Stamou from New Energy Coalition, representing the North Sea Hydrogen Valley Ports (NSH2V) project. His session, "Sustainability of Hydrogen and E-Fuels – Towards a Common Framework and Roadmap", addressed the critical role of hydrogen valleys, ports, and maritime corridors in shaping a sustainable, large-scale hydrogen economy for shipping. The NSH2V project plays a key role in mobilizing North Sea stakeholders to create a hydrogen import/export network that supports the energy transition in the sector.

By fostering collaboration among ports, shipping companies, and energy providers, NSH2V is laying the foundation for green shipping lines and maritime energy corridors—turning pilot projects into operational realities.

Event Organizers and Collaborators

A heartfelt thank you to Fabienne Vallée from Brest Port for her exceptional leadership in organizing this successful event. Her commitment to advancing maritime sustainability continues to drive innovation in the industry.

The workshop was led by Brest Port, France Energies Marines, and Bretagne Développement Innovation, with the support and contribution of four groundbreaking Interreg projects:

• NSH2V: Coordinated by New Energy Coalition, this project is pivotal in creating hydrogen import/export networks in North Sea ports and preparing the ground for green shipping lines and maritime energy corridors.
• HYDEA: Coordinated by EnergyLab, focusing on hydrogen market development in Atlantic ports.
• Green Supply Chains: Led by Port of Hamburg, aiming to deliver short-term energy transition solutions for ports and their logistics chains.
• DIOL: Coordinated by Esbjerg Airport, focused on enabling large-scale offshore wind deployment in the North Sea.

Together, these projects are powering the transition to green energy by fostering collaboration across Europe.

Looking Ahead to Sea Tech Week® 2026

The momentum continues with Sea Tech Week® 2026 on the horizon, where the maritime community will once again gather, with Portugal as the honored country. Expect more ground-breaking discussions, new collaborations, and advancements in maritime technology.

Supported by

This project is co-funded by the Interreg North Sea Programme (ERDF).

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