Mikael Wideskog, Director for Sustainable Fuels & Decarbonisation - Wärtsilä Marine, shares his thoughts on how shipowners and operators can hedge their bets on future fuels by building flexibility into their fuelling strategies.

Decarbonisation is a pressing challenge for the maritime industry, spurred by ambitious targets set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). For those of us in the sector, the bold aims from global regulators have become all too familiar – 40% carbon emissions reductions against 2008 baselines by 2030, and net zero by or around 2050. Pressure will further mount with the extension of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) in 2024, followed by FuelEU Maritime from 2025, which will push fuels to become less greenhouse gas (GHG) intensive.

Vessels are already tracking against tighter emissions standards, thanks to the introduction of the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) and Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), together prompting operators to look at more fuel-efficient ways of operating. But the longer-term existential question remains: how do we ensure vessels are fit for the future?