The Maritime Transport Decarbonization National Action is approved

The aid program aims to support shipping companies in modernizing existing vessels and building new low-emission ones.

The Council of Ministers has today approved, at the proposal of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, the National Action Plan for the Decarbonization of Maritime Transport, which includes a public aid scheme of 250 million euros over the next five years (2026–2030).

This funding is intended to support shipping companies in the renewal and conversion of existing vessels and in the construction of new ones that produce low greenhouse gas emissions.

The aid will also promote pilot projects for the use of new renewable fuels of non-biological origin, such as ammonia or methanol.

The initial planned investment of 250 million comes from the revenues generated by the inclusion of maritime transport in the Emissions Trading System (ETS). These funds will be allocated through competitive tendering procedures in which shipping companies may participate, provided they meet the required conditions.

The Administration will ensure that beneficiary companies meet their commitments and will annually monitor the emissions associated with the subsidized projects.

This plan, led by the Directorate-General for the Merchant Marine of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility and endorsed by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, establishes the strategic lines, measures, and aid programs to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The National Action Plan for the Decarbonization of Maritime Transport is one of the pillars of the recently approved National Maritime Strategy 2025–2050 and the Safe, Sustainable, and Connected Mobility Strategy 2030, both from the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility.

It also responds to the commitments undertaken by Spain within the framework of the International Maritime Organization and the European Union, particularly in the context of the Fit for 55 legislative package, the Emissions Trading System (ETS), and the FuelEU Maritime Regulation.

The maritime transport sector is essential to the national economy: it accounts for around 13.7% of freight transport in the EU and leads container traffic, with 18% of the European total. This sector generates about 3.5 million tons of CO₂, representing 1.3% of total national emissions.

With this plan, the Government of Spain not only promotes emissions reduction and the transition toward a more sustainable maritime model, but also strengthens maritime industrial sovereignty and Spain’s strategic position in European and global green corridors.