The panel debate ‘The maritime fuels of the future – Power-to-X as a lever for green shipping’ kicked-off with a full house on 8 February with the participation of a great number of strong players from the shipping industry. The event had particular focus on green ammonia which will be produced in the Danish offshore- and energy metropolis, Esbjerg, from 2027.
The entire value chain was represented
With a panel comprising representatives from the Danish Maritime Authority, Maersk, TotalEnergies, Monjasa, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and NorSea, some of the industry’s most important players were given an opportunity to express their views on the green fuels of the future. Legislation is being drafted, fuel producers rely on firm offtake agreements, and shipowners need to adapt their fleet accordingly. Major changes in the maritime sector are anticipated soon, and the general feeling in the panel was that the Port of Esbjerg is uniquely positioned in that respect.
Pilot project in Esbjerg
Questions and uncertainties were abundant, but nevertheless there was general agreement that there is a straightforward solution to kick-start this transition: The idea of a local collaboration or pilot project where the entire maritime value chain can contribute to testing green ammonia as fuel, and thereby learn valuable experience. The proposal received a lot of support and will not only provide the individual companies with valuable knowledge and experience, but also position Esbjerg as first-mover on green, maritime fuels.
- Sometimes it is ok to do with less than a full-scale project. In fact, a “proof of concept” is just as important and will allow us to do some things on a smaller scale, which both the rest of Denmark as well as the EU can learn from. Seen from our perspective, this would be just super, stated Martin Rune Pedersen, TotalEnergies.
Jesper Nielsen, Monjasa, supported the statement from Martin Rune Pedersen and emphasized that Denmark - and especially Esbjerg - has all possibilities required to place itself at the forefront of development when it comes to converting to green fuels.
Interesting to be front-runner
Project Director for HØST, David Dupont-Mouritzen was very pleased with the outcome of the panel debate.
- We are all treading new ground, and exciting things are constantly happening both in Esbjerg and in the PtX-business. It is clear to see that there is a great need for continued development in the area, and as the panel quite rightly says, Esbjerg is the right location for this. The prerequisites are present, and we at HØST PtX Esbjerg would very much like to contribute. This is also why we will continue to prioritize openness and outward-looking communication, so that we can all learn more about the development that can bring so much good to the area.