New IMO Course Builds Global Capacity for Safe Use of Renewable Fuels in Shipping

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), in partnership with the German development agency GIZ’s International Power-to-X (PtX) Hub, is conducting its first joint Training-of-Trainers course focused on renewable fuels for the maritime sector. The initiative aims to build global capacity for the safe and effective handling, use, and promotion of green fuels such as ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen in shipping.

Held at IMO Headquarters in London, the course brings together over 20 participants from around the world. It offers technical knowledge on renewable fuel technologies and practical guidance on delivering national training programmes. Topics include the environmental impact of shipping, fuel safety, infrastructure readiness, and strategies for decarbonising domestic fleets.

Participants are also engaged in hands-on sessions to practice delivering training content tailored to local contexts. The goal is to equip them to lead workshops in their home countries, supporting broader international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport.

Power-to-X technology converts renewable electricity into sustainable marine fuels, offering a pathway for the shipping sector to transition away from fossil fuels. These green fuels, while promising, require new skills, standards, and infrastructure for safe adoption and operation.

Astrid Dispert, Programme Manager for IMO’s GreenVoyage2050 initiative, said the course is designed to empower trainers to “cascade renewable PtX knowledge to national actors in the maritime sector,” helping to support green fuel readiness globally.

Philipp Wittrock, from the International PtX Hub, highlighted the importance of local capacity development, noting that the course “provides tools for scaling action at the intersection of energy and shipping.” Graduates of the course had previously completed a foundational module on renewable fuels. They will now contribute to national workshops and regional efforts aligned with IMO and PtX Hub initiatives to support the adoption of clean energy in maritime operations.

Tags: Ammonia, CleanShipping, GreenFuels, HydrogenFuel, IMO, Methanol, PowerToX, RenewableEnergy, ShippingTransition
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