Bringing Together Shippers, OEMs & Ethanol Producers for a Maritime Fuel Transition
Vision & Purpose
Once the IMO Net-Zero Framework is adopted, the shipping industry needs alternatives that are available today, scalable, sustabinable, and cost‑effective. As a collaborative initiative, the Marine Ethanol Platform brings together shipowners, OEMs, and ethanol producers to address technical, regulatory, and commercial barriers, positioning ethanol as a serious contender in the maritime fuel transition.
Why Ethanol for Marine Fuel?
- Available and Scalable
- Low Carbon Potential
- Cost Competitive
- Regulatory Momentum
- Technically Feasible
Key Challenges Ahead
Engine readiness
Fuel certification and standardization
Supply chain and infrastructure
Policy incentives under IMO Net-Zero compliance
Commercial economics and risk
Join Us!
The Climate Ethanol Alliance operates the Marine Ethanol Platform. Participation is free for the first year, followed by review.
Signal your interest:
Why the Marine Ethanol Platform?
The Platform operates with a lean structure and a strong emphasis on cost efficiency. Member contributions are directed toward concrete outcomes—policy engagement, technical dialogue, and market access—rather than organisational overhead. This ensures maximum value and impact for partner companies.
The Platform operates with a lean structure and a strong emphasis on cost efficiency. Member contributions are directed toward concrete outcomes—policy engagement, technical dialogue, and market access—rather than organisational overhead. This ensures maximum value and impact for partner companies.
The Platform provides members with direct access to practical, real-world expertise, supported by:
- first-hand technical data and analysis on ethanol lifecycle emissions, safety, and availability;
- cost-competitiveness assessments of marine fuels under IMO NZF scenarios, using a model developed by CEA;
- market experience across the ethanol value chain, including production, blending, logistics, and end use; and
- a technically strong team with a detailed understanding of ethanol’s performance in operational maritime environments.
This expertise is translated into actionable insights for members, supporting informed commercial and strategic decision-making.
As CEA is a consultative body to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Marine Ethanol Platform—through active participation in all relevant IMO meetings and working groups—ensures that ethanol is properly assessed as a viable, scalable, and cost-effective marine fuel. Members benefit from first-hand information and timely insights from regulatory discussions at IMO, delivered through the perspective of industry practitioners.
The Platform’s work is grounded in practical realities:
- ethanol is available at scale today, with decades of safe use across multiple transport sectors;
- it offers competitive costs and proven emissions reductions; and
- it aligns with near- and mid-term decarbonisation needs using existing and adaptable infrastructure.
By maintaining an ethanol-only mandate, the Marine Ethanol Platform provides regulators, shipowners, OEMs, and fuel users with transparent, technically grounded assessments. This clarity supports better-informed policy decisions and enables industry stakeholders to evaluate ethanol without internal conflicts of interest or mixed fuel agendas.