The CLIA Spain column
By Alfredo Serrano
Managing Director CLIA Spain
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 75 – December 2025
“Fuels, fuels, and fuels,” is how our president and CEO, Bud Darr, summarized the three essential elements for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 a few weeks ago. In 2022, cruise lines committed to pursuing this goal, a further reflection of their collective commitment to environmental sustainability. Achieving this involves not only developing the fuels of the future but also ensuring their availability at scale and that ships are ready to use them. Today, technology is advancing rapidly, and the bottleneck is not innovation, but rather the molecules themselves.
For years, shipping companies have been investing tens of billions of euros in the construction of new ships and engines that offer high flexibility in terms of fuel use. One thing seems clear: the decarbonization of maritime transport will be closely linked to this fuel flexibility; a flexibility that shipping companies are already working on, as evidenced by the latest edition of the CLIA report, Environmental Practices and Technologies. Currently, 19 cruise ships are equipped with multifuel engines, meaning engines that can operate on more than one type of fuel with minimal or no modifications, facilitating the transition from traditional fuels to low- or zero-emission alternatives as these become available in the supply chain.
The progress in this area by shipping companies is palpable: while in 2018 there was only one ship equipped with this technology, the forecast is to close 2025 with 23 cruise ships powered by multifuel engines, including the first ship that will be able to use three fuels, and reach 32 in 2036.
In this context, the European Union (EU) appears to be a key player, capable of determining whether the cruise sector will be able to achieve its sustainability goals.
On the table are a series of initiatives that Brussels is working on within the framework of the Compass for Competitiveness, the roadmap set by the European Commission that seeks to combine competitiveness and decarbonization. The recently presented Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP) recognizes that the EU must increase the use of sustainable fuels and unlock investments. It also highlights the role of liquefied natural gas (LNG), a fossil fuel, as a transitional energy source. The cruise sector pioneered its use, helping to lay the foundations for a new generation of fuels.
The development of green alternatives also presents an opportunity for European ports. Their facilities receive, store, and transport fuels, and they have great potential to become true green energy hubs thanks to their central role in global trade and their industrial heritage.
In short, to achieve climate goals, we demand access to green fuels in sufficient quantities, at reasonable prices, and under equitable conditions globally. The challenge lies in the fact that these alternatives either do not exist or are available in limited quantities, at inaccessible prices, and with various sectors competing for access.
For our part, we will continue working with shipping companies and stakeholders to accelerate the development of green fuels and their accessibility. We are an innovative sector that will not stop now.
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