Spain, Norway and Denmark are at the forefront of European countries producing green e-fuels for the shipping sector, according to a new analysis by Transport & Environment (T&E), though regulatory uncertainty is preventing most projects from advancing beyond the planning phase.

T&E's 2025 update of its shipping e-fuels observatory identified up to 80 green hydrogen and e-fuels projects across Europe that could be used to power ships, representing more than 3.6 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) by 2032.

However, the analysis found that just 5% of those volumes are clearly dedicated to the maritime sector, while only a small proportion of projects have reached a final investment decision (FID) stage or become operational.

Norway has the largest quantities of fuels dedicated primarily to the maritime sector, followed by Spain, Finland, and Denmark, according to the research. The Kassø project by European Energy, which supplies e-methanol to Maersk, went online in 2025 and is reported to be the biggest of its kind in Europe.

Among e-ammonia and e-methanol projects that include the maritime or transport sectors as potential buyers, the maritime sector generally constitutes the largest potential offtaker, the research finds. For e-ammonia, shipping was mentioned as a potential client for double the project volumes compared to the fertilizer and chemical industries.

Constance Dijkstra, maritime policy manager at T&E, said: "The biggest maritime e-fuels project went online this year. This shows what is possible, but scaling up projects remains a challenge. Current shipping targets just aren't ambitious enough to get investors to put money on the table. As well as demand incentives, fuel producers need hard cash. Fostering a strong e-fuels sector can bolster Europe's industrial leadership and reduce the continent's dependence on imported fossil fuels."

T&E claims that strong demand signals from the shipping sector would provide a guarantee to producers that there is a solid market for their green fuels. The organization is calling on the EU to introduce more ambitious green fuel requirements for the shipping sector to ensure projects progress.

Clean tech producers have called on the EU to boost support for green shipping fuels in Europe, including through the reinvestment of ETS revenues into green shipping, according to T&E.