Ethanol agency gets consultative role at the IMO

Ethanol-focused group Climate Ethanol Alliance (CEA) has been granted official non-government consultative status by the IMO.

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This status will allow CEA to contribute technical insights and policy recommendations on ethanol-based technology adoption in the maritime sector.

According to the IMO, organisations applying for consultative status must demonstrate relevant expertise and the ability to meaningfully support its regulatory work.

CEA includes members such as US-based industry body Renewable Fuels Association and Hungary-based biorefinery PannoniaBio, among others.

Ethanol is being explored as one of the potential future alternatives in shipping’s green fuel transition. Although the IMO issued interim guidelines for using ethanol as a bunker fuel in 2020, its commercial uptake in shipping has remained limited.

CEA’s new status could help advance ethanol’s role in the broader maritime fuel mix.

By Konica Bhatt

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