Europe urged to turn methane abatement into a maritime competitive advantage in International Shipping News 10/06/2026 Europe can strengthen its maritime competitiveness, reduce costs for businesses and consumers, and reinforce its climate policy by accelerating action on methane emissions from shipping, according to a new report published today by the Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative (MAMII). The report, ‘Turning methane abatement into a competitive advantage: A five-point action plan for the EU’, argues that methane abatement represents one of the fastest and most commercially viable opportunities available to reduce emissions while supporting the EU’s industrial base. It highlights that EU companies are among the leaders in the development of methane measurement and abatement technologies, and there are opportunities for policy frameworks to further reflect recent technological advances and maximise their deployment and uptake. Panos Mitrou, Chair of the Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative (MAMII), said: “Methane abatement is not just a climate issue – it is an industrial and economic opportunity for the EU. With the right policy environment, the EU can cut emissions, protect competitiveness, reduce long-term costs, and position itself as the global leader in maritime methane solutions.” Methane is the second-largest contributor to global warming and is significantly more potent than CO₂ in the near term. At the same time, the number of LNG-fuelled vessels is growing rapidly, increasing attention on methane emissions, particularly methane slip resulting from incomplete or inefficient combustion. The report highlights that methane abatement technologies are already delivering substantial results, with methane slip reductions of 60–70% achieved across several engine types t in recent years. Emerging after-treatment technologies are expected to reduce emissions even further. However, MAMII argues that the biggest barrier to large-s