The Global Ethanol Association (GEA) has launched as an independent non-profit organisation based in Switzerland, with marine fuel decarbonisation as its first flagship initiative.

The GEA aims to unite stakeholders across the ethanol sector to unite resources and expertise, foster collaboration, and amplify a powerful industry voice, according to an announcement on September 4.

"The Global Ethanol Association represents a transformative step for ethanol as a strategic enabler of sustainable fuel solution across industries," said Sylvain Zurcher, co-founder and president of GEA. "Our mission is to connect innovation with action, delivering tangible solutions that link industry ambition with real-world impact."

GEA's Marine Fuel Sector Initiative is described as an industry-led effort to establish ethanol as part of the sustainable marine fuel mix. The organisation's objective is to mobilise stakeholders, including ethanol suppliers, shipping companies, and marine technology firms, to drive innovation and develop standards.

The initiative aims to provide market demand for ethanol in marine applications whilst also enabling reliable and scalable supply to support the transition to cleaner shipping operations.

"By leveraging the capabilities of new multi-fuel marine engines, ethanol can be integrated into the the low-emission marine fuel mix," said Morten Jacobsen, GEA co-founder and secretary general. "This future-proof approach offers shipowners and operators the flexibility to adapt to regional fuel availability, pricing, and sustainability goals. This is a game-changing step towards fuel supply security and emissions resilience across global trade routes."

Founding member

WinGD Ltd, a marine engine technology company, has joined as a founding member of the association.

"In our experience, collaboration is the key to accelerating the energy transition in shipping, so joining the Global Ethanol Association as a founding member was a clear decision" said Dominik Schneiter, CEO of WinGD. "Our advanced multi-fuel engine technology enables shipowners to adopt ethanol as part of the sustainable fuel mix. By working with GEA, we are helping the shipping industry meet its decarbonization targets with solutions that combine flexibility, reliability, and sustainability."

The association is inviting other companies and stakeholders to join as members, with more information available at globalethanol.org.