Alternative marine fuels: navigating regulation, certification, and scale-up at the ISCC Technical Stakeholder Committee
On 10 June 2026, stakeholders from across the maritime fuel value chain gathered for the ISCC Technical Stakeholder Committee – Alternative Marine Fuels (AMF). The meeting brought together representatives from policy institutions, fuel producers, certification experts, agricultural organisations, and vessel operators to discuss the evolving regulatory landscape, renewable fuel solutions, and the role of certification in supporting the maritime sector’s transition towards net-zero.
Certification, regulation, and investment: supporting AMF scale-up
Opening the meeting, Dr Dario Formenti provided an update on recent developments within ISCC and outlined how AMF certification is driven by both regulations, such as the FuelEU Maritime, the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), and the upcoming IMO Net Zero Framework, as well as voluntary markets, such as the SBTi Initiative. With ISCC EU, ISCC PLUS, and ISCC CFC, Dario outlined how ISCC offers solutions for both kinds of drivers, highlighting our frontrunner role in AMF certification in general, and RFNBO certification under REDIII in particular.
In this context, he highlighted the newly introduced ISCC EU RFNBO Pre-Certification for projects in the planning and engineering phase (pre-FEED stage or later). Pre-Certification helps projects demonstrate regulatory alignment early on, supporting investment decisions, off-taker confidence, and readiness for future certification.
Regulatory developments shaping the maritime transition
A significant portion of the meeting focused on the rapidly evolving AMF policy framework.
José Rodriguez Barradas from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) provided an overview of recent EU policy developments and their implications for the maritime sector. The presentation explored key aspects of FuelEU Maritime, the ETS, the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP), and the EU Industrial Maritime and Ports Strategies. He further highlighted the ESSF SAPS work streams’ focus on Onboard Carbon Capture and Storage (OCCS) and Utilisation (OCCU) in 2026. EU RED (Renewable Energy Directive) recognised Voluntary Schemes, such as ISCC, are a crucial component of the ecosystem, enabling credible claims by operators across supply chains.
Complementing the European perspective, Camille Bourgeon from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) shared insights into ongoing discussions at the global level. His presentation outlined progress towards IMO’s net-zero objectives, with a focus on life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies. Discussions covered the treatment of avoided and embodied emissions, CCU and OCCS pathways, ILUC risk, and the development of default emission factors that will underpin future global GHG accounting frameworks. Additionally, significant progress has been made in drafting the Fuel Certification Guidelines, which are expected to play a crucial role in the recognition of certification schemes, such as ISCC, under the IMO Framework.
Both presentations illustrated the increasing regulatory complexity and the need for robust systems that can support compliance across multiple jurisdictions and frameworks.
Alternative marine fuel pathways in focus
The role of different fuel pathways in the maritime transition was another central topic of the meeting.
Kai Zhao from the Methanol Institute explored the increasing significance of methanol as a marine fuel. The presentation provided a thorough analysis of methanol production (both bio-ethanol and e-methanol), consumption, availability, bunkering, scaling, and its potential for decarbonisation. In this context, the certification of bio-methanol and e-methanol is of crucial importance for gaining access to emerging markets.
Edze Diemer of REG Overseas Holdings shared practical experience from the Netherlands, discussing the maritime opt-in biofuel blending policy under REDII, its impact on target achievement, and the associated side effects. The session also provided valuable insights into the differences between REDIII and FuelEU Maritime compliance.
Lane Howard from the National Corn Growers Association presented the North American perspective. His presentation highlighted the potential of U.S.-grown corn to produce and export ethanol for the marine sector, either directly or via the ethanol-to-methanol pathway. He emphasised the need for collaboration and inclusion within the ISCC framework.
Vessel operators discuss ambitions and realities
One of the highlights of the event was the vessel operators panel discussion, moderated by Nicolas Robbins of bp. Ratna Nataliani (Hapag-Lloyd), Cédric Jourdain (CMA CGM), and Jes Nauckhoff (MSC Group) shared their perspectives on fuel availability and pathways, technology and infrastructure development, regulatory frameworks, and the practical realities of AMF adoption.
A recurring theme was the need for regulatory certainty. Panellists emphasised that investment decisions are delayed by uncertainty and stressed the importance of stable, coherent, and globally aligned regulations. Given the international nature of shipping, they look with hope to the upcoming IMO Framework to establish a level playing field, enabling shipping companies to ideally purchase and use AMF recognised under the same certification standard worldwide. In this context, certification systems such as ISCC are essential for the effective implementation of the certification framework, enabling market participants to achieve certification under multiple schemes through harmonised approaches wherever feasible.
Cost and budgeting were identified as additional key challenges. While companies are committed to reducing emissions, the financial implications of adopting new fuels and technologies remain significant. The discussion also highlighted the importance of mass balance for scaling AMF. Panellists noted that other chain-of-custody approaches are difficult to implement in maritime supply chains and emphasised the need for broad market acceptance of mass balance approaches.
Another topic discussed was the characteristics that make maritime transport unique compared to aviation or road transport. Shipping can utilise a broader range of fuel options, but fuel specifications, naming conventions, and blending practices are less harmonised, particularly for biodiesel. Panellists underscored the need for greater clarity and simplification.
Despite the challenges, the overall sentiment remained optimistic, with panellists noting that opportunities currently outweigh obstacles and expressing a bright outlook for the future. When discussing the most promising fuel pathways, methane, LNG, and circular fuels were highlighted as key options to support the sector’s decarbonisation efforts.
Looking ahead
The conference concluded with the election of the new Co-Chairs of the Committee. We congratulate Giovanna Croxatto Vega (A.P. Møller Maersk) and Nicolas Robbins (bp Singapore) on their election and look forward to continuing the dialogue under their leadership.
The conference once again demonstrated the value of bringing together diverse stakeholders to discuss the future of maritime decarbonisation. As regulatory frameworks develop and AMF markets mature, we will continue to support these discussions through our committees, accompanying conferences, and ongoing engagement with stakeholders across the maritime value chain.
We would like to thank all speakers, panellists, co-chairs, and participants for their valuable contributions!
