EU-Wide Advantages and Opportunities for the CSA "Support of the new EU renewable and low-carbon fuel ecosystem for waterborne transport" (HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-16)

1. Single Market Access (450 + million consumers)

• Pan-European demand pull – FuelEU Maritime creates uniform GHG-intensity reduction targets, guaranteeing a predictable, EU-wide customer base for renewable & low-carbon fuels (RLCF).

• Integrated logistics chain – Harmonised customs & VAT rules allow seamless fuel flows between >1 200 EU seaports & inland ports, lowering transaction costs and accelerating market ramp-up.

• Early mover premium – Projects can lock in long-term offtake agreements with multiple EU shipping operators instead of negotiating country-by-country, de-risking investment decisions.

2. Cross-Border Collaboration & Knowledge Exchange

• Mandatory multinational consortia open doors to shipowners, fuel producers, technology providers, ports and finance actors from different Member States & Associated Countries.

• Interfaces with existing EU platforms:

• Renewable & Low-Carbon Fuel (RLCF) Alliance (700+ members)

• SET-Plan Working Groups on Renewable Fuels & Bioenergy

• Waterborne TP and Zero-Emission Waterborne Transport partnership.

• Global Gateway Green Shipping Corridors study positions EU players to co-develop green bunkering hubs with partner countries, exporting EU standards abroad.

3. Alignment with Flagship EU Policies

• Delivers on the European Green Deal, Fit-for-55, REPowerEU, FuelEU Maritime Regulation, revised EU ETS (shipping) and the upcoming Net-Zero Industry Act.

• Supports the 2030 Climate Target Plan (-55 % GHG) and the 2050 climate-neutrality goal by accelerating maritime decarbonisation.

• Complements the Digital Europe programme by requiring life-cycle-based MRV data and digital twins in the analytical financial tool.

4. Regulatory Harmonisation & Legal Certainty

• Single set of sustainability criteria via RED II / RED III for both RFNBO and advanced biofuels = one certification, valid EU-wide.

• Common EU taxonomy & CINEA/Innovation Fund rules simplify green-finance due diligence, lowering cost of capital.

• Conformity with EU State-Aid Guidelines for Climate, Environmental Protection and Energy (CEEAG) facilitates additional national co-funding without lengthy notification procedures.

5. Access to Europe’s Innovation Ecosystem

• 40 + maritime R&I test beds, large-scale pilot plants and living labs available through Horizon Europe & ERA-NET networks.

• Direct links to Joint Research Centre (JRC) data, European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) labs and Clean Hydrogen JU facilities for hydrogen uptake in ports.

• Talent pool: >100 000 researchers and students in blue-economy master programmes across the EU.

6. Funding Synergies & Financial Leverage

• "Project development support for ≥ 20 proposals" allows applicants to queue up for:

• Innovation Fund (large & small-scale)

• CEF Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF)

• EIB Green Shipping loans & "Shipping guarantee programme"

• ESIF / Just Transition Fund for regional production clusters

• Hydrogen Bank maritime window.

• The analytical financial tool can be re-used by EIB Advisory and national promotional banks, multiplying impact beyond the CSA budget.

• Lump-sum grant model = reduced administrative burden, faster cash-flow.

7. EU-Wide Deployment & Economies of Scale

• Common techno-economic template enables replication across all TEN-T core & comprehensive ports, enlarging addressable market from pilot scale to >500 Mt fuel demand by 2050.

• Pooling feedstock (agri-residues, renewable electricity, CO₂) among multiple Member States optimises supply chains and lowers €/GJ cost.

• Scalability attracts OEMs (engines, storage systems) to establish EU manufacturing lines, reinforcing strategic autonomy in maritime equipment.

8. Competitive Edge & Global Leadership

• Positions EU industry as first mover in setting well-to-wake LCA standards, likely to become de facto global benchmarks under IMO.

• Strengthens EU shipbuilders & fuel tech providers against rivals in Asia & the Americas, protecting 2 million maritime jobs.

• By embedding societal acceptance & skills modules, the CSA supports Social Climate Fund objectives and just transition in coastal regions.

9. Practical Recommendations to Maximise EU-Level Value

1. Consortium design: at least 8-10 partners from ≥ 6 Member States; include a port from an outermost region to showcase peripherality benefits.

2. Synergise with existing CSAs (e.g., CL5-2023-D2-01-07) to share project-selection pipelines and communication channels.

3. Open-source the financial tool (API + multi-language GUI) to allow embedding into EIB Advisory’s PDA platform.

4. Integrate smart specialisation (S3) regions to tap ERDF co-funding and align with Maritime Cluster S3 partnerships.

5. Plan policy feedback loops: deliver white papers to DG MOVE, DG CLIMA & DG ENER before 2027 revision milestones (FuelEU, ETS maritime).

10. Key Take-Away

This CSA leverages the full machinery of European integration—single market scale, harmonised regulation, world-class research networks and layered funding instruments—to accelerate the commercialisation of renewable and low-carbon fuels for shipping. No national scheme can offer an equivalent combination of market certainty, cross-border synergies and policy alignment, making EU participation the clear strategic choice for stakeholders who aim to lead the global maritime energy transition.