The future of cleaner shipping

The platform

The MARITIME PLATFORM, based in Hamburg and Berlin, was founded in February 2014 as the Maritime LNG Platform and now represents an association of around 100 national and international companies, ports, associations and initiatives. The platform has set itself the goal of achieving a significant reduction in emissions such as SOx, NOx, CO2 and particulate matter through the use of LNG (Liquid Natural Gas), and thus to achieve cleaner, as well as more economical, maritime and inland waterway transport.
In addition, however, climate protection continues to play an increasingly important role to shape the maritime transition. Not only because of the ambitious IMO climate targets to reduce CO2 emissions by 2050 compared to 2008, but also because of technical developments of the fuels and propulsion technologies (ethanol, battery, hydrogen), the pure focus on LNG is too narrow for the platform's claim to help shape the future of shipping.
LNG will remain "the" driver for more environmentally-friendly (and climate-friendly) shipping and will see the role it plays strengthened; however, this will apply less so to fossil-based LNG as part of a gradual approach, which will initially involve its blending and, ultimately, complete replacement with so-called synthetic LNG, which is also referred to as e-fuel, and with biofuels.
Based on the experience gained with the introduction of LNG, it is now a matter of not repeating the mistakes of the past and now providing guidance for the various fuels and technologies to the shipping industry, but also to politics and ports in particular. In this way, the Maritime Platform is tackling major challenges in terms of infrastructure, industrial development, legal regulations and the creation of political frameworks.
For the first time, the FuelEU Maritime Regulation at EU level has set mandatory maximum levels for the CO2 intensity of the energy used on board, which are primarily intended to encourage the switch to alternative fuels such as LNG, biofuels and e-fuels. These legal frameworks must now be successfully put into practice. Already during the legislative process, the Maritime Platform advocated an ambitious and at the same time pragmatic regulation and informed its members about the process and the relevant contents.
With the German government's hydrogen strategy, only a first step has been adopted. Hamburg in particular, as the headquarters of the platform, will develop into "the" hydrogen location. This is where the platform can and will be able to provide valuable impulses. Similar to the beginning of the LNG debate in 2014, the platform will act as a partner and point of contact for politics and industry in order to provide impetus for the maritime industry.
The platform's approach is multinational and cross-competitive and bundles existing know-how, including from other European countries, such as Norway, Sweden or the Netherlands.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Shaping Policy

In January 2015, the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure asked the platform to provide politicians with a forward strategy for LNG in Germany as a basis for future decisions and as part of the Federal Government´s Mobility and Fuel Strategy and the implementation of the EU Directive “Clean Power for Transport”.

The platform has been also a member of the European Sustainable Shipping Forum (ESSF) which makes a key contribution to the establishment of uniform standards: this primarily involves a transfer of expertise to smaller ports as generally only representatives of bigger German ports attend the meetings of the ESSF. The Platform´s international partners and members are also actively involved.

Activities 2023

  • Inaugural visit of the Executive Board and discussion with the new Maritime Coordinator of the Federal Government, Dieter Janecek, Member of the German Bundestag, 30.03.2023 in Berlin
  • Policy Briefing National and EU-wide support programmes for the maritime industry, with NOW GmbH, 27.03.2023, online
  • EU Policy Briefing FuelEU Maritime with Filip Henrik Bertilsson, EU Policy Advisor for MEP Jørgen Warborn, European Parliament, and Pernille Palmelund Sørensen, Policy Officer at DG MOVE & Transport, Unit D.1 Maritime Transport & Logistics, European Commission, 10.05.2023, online
  • Parliamentary evening "Achieving climate targets. Framework conditions for shipping on the use of climate-neutral fuels and propulsion systems". Moderated panel discussions in two panels with the Maritime Coordinator of the Federal Government as well as the Maritime Spokespersons of the Parliamentary of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, SPD, FDP and CDU/CSU as well as representatives from the maritime industry and NABU, together with the Association of German Shipowners, 31.05.2023 in Berlin
  • Participation in the National Maritime Conference in Bremen, 14.09.2023
  • ZESS – Zero Emissions Shipping Symposium, together with NOW GmbH, 10.10.2023 in Hamburg
  • Preparation of the stakeholder dialogue with the BMDV on the "National Action Plan for Climate-Friendly Shipping"
  • Support for the NOW "Potential Study on Refuelling infrastructures for low-carbon and renewable marine fuels in Germany" (published in April 2024)

Ongoing Activities

  • Preparation of statements at the request of the BMDV and BMWK
  • Organization and implementation of matchmaking meetings with members and partners
  • Supporting members in applying for funding