Denmark Invests $2.5 Million in Maritime Innovation to Advance Green Fuel and CO₂ Shipping
Denmark has announced an investment of approximately $2.5 million (equivalent to €2.3 million) in a range of maritime projects aimed at accelerating decarbonization across the shipping sector. The funding will support advancements in green ammonia fuel standards, the development of carbon dioxide (CO₂) carrier vessels, and the infrastructure required for large-scale CO₂ transport and storage.
One of the primary goals of the initiative is to establish internationally recognized standards for green ammonia as a marine fuel. Ammonia, when produced using renewable energy, offers a zero-carbon alternative to traditional bunker fuels. As part of this funding effort, Danish maritime institutions, in collaboration with leading engine manufacturers and regulators, are working to finalize safety protocols and technical frameworks that will enable the commercial deployment of ammonia-powered vessels.
A significant portion of the funding will also go toward supporting the design and development of vessels capable of transporting liquefied CO₂. These CO₂ carriers are crucial to Denmark's broader carbon management strategy, particularly for its North Sea Greensand Future project. This initiative aims to capture CO₂ emissions from biomass and industrial sites and transport them via ship to offshore storage reservoirs.
The Greensand Future project, led by INEOS Energy in partnership with Harbour Energy and Nordsøfonden, has already received regulatory support and is expected to begin operations by late 2025 or early 2026. It plans to store 400,000 tons of CO₂ per year in the initial phase, with a potential scale-up to 8 million tons annually by 2030. The project marks one of Europe’s first commercial-scale efforts to create a carbon storage value chain and is viewed as a model for other nations looking to combine industrial decarbonization with maritime innovation.
These maritime projects align with Denmark’s national climate ambitions and its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2045. They also support the International Maritime Organization’s 2050 strategy, which calls for at least a 70 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping.
In parallel, Denmark has seen the opening of Europe’s first commercial-scale e-methanol plant, which supplies green methanol to companies including A.P. Moller-Maersk. These developments indicate the country’s comprehensive approach to low-carbon fuels, carbon transport, and sustainable maritime infrastructure.
With this latest funding initiative, Denmark is positioning itself as a pioneer in green shipping and an essential player in the global transition toward a cleaner maritime industry.
