Eni partners with Fincantieri and RINA for maritime transport decarbonisation mission

Global energy firm Eni has signed an agreement with two major marine industry partners to develop joint initiatives for energy transition.

It formalises a partnership with Fincantieri - one of the largest shipbuilding groups and the only one active in all high-tech marine industry sectors - plus multinational inspection, certification, and engineering consultancy RINA.

They have committed to develop joint projects, in line with each partners’ strategies, to decarbonise the maritime sector in the medium to long term with the goal of achieving net zero by 2050. They will also evaluate the establishment of a permanent global observatory regarding future technological, regulatory, and market developments.

Seeking out solutions

The trio will conduct comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the most sustainable alternatives to support the maritime decarbonisation pathway - something that will also encompass the development of complementary solutions to fuels already available for other hard-to-abate sectors.

Other areas within the partnership’s scope include analysis of the reference energy infrastructure and development of new logistic structures, including the sector’s investment requirements.

Giuseppe Ricci, Eni’s Chief Operating Officer for Energy Evolution, welcomed the collaboration with “two major Italian players” as a further step in the journey towards the transition and decarbonisation of maritime transport.

The power of three

Ricci said: “To meet the objectives of the UN 2030 Agenda, it is important not only to manage what is immediate, but also to act with a medium to long-term perspective, developing partnerships to create more sustainable solutions and products.

“The ability to network among the partners, with their wealth of skills and technological capabilities, can make a significant contribution to finding more effective solutions for decarbonising maritime transport and meeting the needs of shipowners and logistics operators, always leveraging a holistic approach”.

Collaboration in action

Fincantieri CEO and Managing Director Pierroberto Folgiero, underlined his firm’s commitment to supporting clients addressing the industrial challenges of the maritime energy transition.

“This initiative is aimed at initially creating a hub of study to harness Italy’s extraordinary expertise in new technologies, novel fuels, and their profound industrial implications for the ship system,” he said.

“We are very pleased to join Eni and RINA in an alliance to materialise existing solutions and to pave the way for the future with a proactive ecosystem approach. New technologies must be industrialised on board ships, just as new fuels must be produced and distributed at the dock.” 

Carlo Luzzatto, RINA’s CEO and General Manager, welcomed the opportunity to “share knowledge and experience and to contribute to more sustainable solutions that support the shipping supply chain”.