On 30 April 2026, the SEAFAIRER Spanish Community of Practice (COP) convened its second online workshop, hosted by project partner Fundación Valenciaport. Building on the successful launch of the COP in 2025, the meeting gathered a broadened group of stakeholders from across the Spanish maritime value chain to discuss concrete pathways for deploying cost-effective marine bio-oils in line with FuelEU Maritime and the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).
The Spanish COP, initially set up around the Port of Valencia and the wider Comunidad Valenciana, has now extended participation to key ports, shipowners, biofuel producers, and technology providers from across Spain. The updated COP membership includes, among others, the ports of Castellón, Algeciras, Barcelona and Huelva; shipping companies Baleària, Boluda and MSC; producers and raw material suppliers such as Avebiom, DACSA, Movialsa and Unió de Llauradores; naval engineering firm GHENOVA; classification and certification organisations Bureau Veritas, LRQA, Deloitte and DNV; and research centres and universities including ITE, UPV (CMT), UPM and UCLM. This expanded group reflects the COP’s ambition to connect the full biofuel value chain – from feedstock to final use on board.
The workshop programme combined updates from the SEAFAIRER consortium with in‑depth discussion on regulatory and techno-economic aspects. After an opening overview of the current status of the COP and participants’ key interests, Daniel Pichler (DTU) presented the latest SEAFAIRER project developments, highlighting how the thermochemical process at the core of SEAFAIRER converts biogenic waste streams into high-quality bio-oil, syngas and biochar in decentralised, modular units. This also included an outline how SEAFAIRER’s commercial partner Sagava is preparing to bring this technology to market, with a focus on supplying shipping companies with a highly cost‑effective marine bio‑oil that can reduce compliance costs under FuelEU Maritime and the EU ETS compared to today’s alternative biofuel options. A dedicated session, led by Fabio Alberto Gutiérrez from Fundación Valenciaport, explored the techno-economic performance of the VINTER-derived fuels in maritime applications, including their potential to act as drop-in or blended solutions compatible with existing marine engines and fuel infrastructure. Participants discussed how the combination of lower greenhouse gas intensity and competitive fuel pricing could support shipowners in meeting upcoming FuelEU Maritime targets while managing exposure to carbon prices under the EU ETS. The final part of the workshop focused on the practical implications of EU ETS for shipping companies, featuring a presentation on the impact of the scheme on maritime operators and how advanced bio-oils can contribute to mitigation strategies.
Fundación Valenciaport also underlined the crucial role of the Spanish COP in preparing for SEAFAIRER’s demonstration campaign in the Port of Valencia, where blends of SEAFAIRER bio-oil with conventional marine fuel will be tested on a vessel under real operating conditions. The COP serves as a forum to align expectations across ports, shipowners, regulators, and technology providers, ensuring that the demonstration addresses real operational needs and informs scalable deployment pathways beyond the project’s lifetime.
This momentum confirms the relevance of SEAFAIRER’s approach to turning biogenic waste into climate-positive marine fuels and demonstrates strong regional commitment to decarbonising Mediterranean shipping. Future COP meetings will delve further into regulatory implementation, logistics and bunkering solutions, and the development of robust business cases for advanced bio-oils in Spain and beyond.