Press release: STIP must accelerate zero carbon ship and plane technologies, urge industry leaders

Brussels, 28 October 2025: Today, a collective of ten leading companies and industry groups wrote to European Commissioners and the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU, urging them to provide policy support to the zero-carbon emission shipping and aviation sectors in the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP).

The letter, organised by the SASHA Coalition, was signed by companies developing the lowest emissions shipping and aviation technologies, including wind propulsion, fuel-cell, battery electric, and hydrogen combustion systems, and industry groups whose members include such companies. The signatories are Ecojet, ZeroAvia, ZULU Associates, MONTE, Hybrid Air Vehicles, the SASHA Coalition, LH2 Shipping, Condor, Beyond Aero, and Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs), an alliance representing 65 maritime industry stakeholders many of which are leading these technologies.  

The signatories highlight that their innovative solutions are amongst the most scalable maritime and aviation energy systems, offering Europe a huge opportunity for industrialisation and energy sovereignty. They also offer the most sustainable paths for decarbonising short- and medium-haul maritime voyages and air-travel routes.

Yet these solutions have not received due regulatory support from the Commission as other technologies have. This policy gap has slowed the development of these technologies and the infrastructure necessary to support them.

The letter calls for the STIP, expected to be announced imminently, to create a regulatory environment that helps developers access investment and bring their solutions to commercial scale production by:

1. Designating zero-carbon emission aircraft and vessels as strategic, priority technologies for investment and send important market signals.

2. Introducing mandatory targets for a proportion of inter-EU flights and voyages to be run on zero-carbon emission technologies by 2040.

3. Ensuring renewable hydrogen availability for aviation through a dedicated Hydrogen Bank budget to reduce financial risk and facilitate long-term offtake agreements.

4. Establishing regional testbeds for these technologies, with ‘green’ public service obligation routes, to demonstrate viability and strengthen regional connectivity.

5. Improving the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) to mandate hydrogen infrastructure and electric charging at ports and airports.

Brent Smith, CEO and co-founder of green airline Ecojet, said:

“If we're serious about economic growth and the environment, zero-emission flight and shipping must be a priority in the Clean Industrial Deal. With targeted regulatory support – i.e. clear certification pathways, enabling infrastructure, and bankable offtake – investors and industry will have a safe space to innovate and build at scale. The payoff: clean connectivity, stronger European energy security rooted in domestic production, and localised economic growth – skilled jobs, higher productivity, targeted investment.”

Aurelia Leeuw, Director of EU Policy at the SASHA Coalition, said:

“The lowest emission maritime and aviation technologies are also those that have been most neglected by regulation. The International Maritime Organization’s decision to delay voting on the NZF only increases the urgency of correcting this oversight, while the International Civil Aviation Organization’s CORSIA scheme is structurally unfit for developing this market. The STIP offers a crucial opportunity for action. A holistic enabling environment with the right incentives and a robust research funding strategy, is key to accelerate burgeoning technologies from development to demonstration and commercial deployment. If the Commission is serious about innovation, it should listen to its boldest innovators.”

The letter follows the SASHA Coalition’s call last week for the STIP to include a well-regulated book-and-claim system to de-risk e-kerosene, made from renewable hydrogen. To advance Clean Industrial Deal goals, such a system must operate exclusively for e-kerosene operate only in the EU, and be timebound.

The SASHA Coalition has also called for the STIP to include a contracts for difference (CfD) financing mechanism for renewable hydrogen e-fuels, and for it to encourage an expansion of the ETS to maximise available funds.

– – ENDS – – 

Media contact:

Daniel Lubin
Communications Officer, The SASHA Coalition
+44 7477427606
daniel@opportunitygreen.org

Notes to editors:

Ecojet is aiming to be the first zero carbon emission airline using hydrogen-electric engines produced by ZeroAvia. The company, a SASHA Coalition member, was founded by Dale Vince and Brent Smith and is based in Scotland.

ZeroAvia is developing full hydrogen-electric engines and refueling solutions, as well as supplying electric propulsion component technologies for novel battery, hybrid and hydrogen-electric aircraft applications. It is a SASHA Coalition member.

ZULU Associates aims to enable zero emission operation of commercial vessels on inland waterways, short sea and coastal routes through autonomous operation and alternative propulsion. It is a SASHA Coalition member.

MONTE provides financing and leasing solutions for the transition of the regional aviation and maritime industries to net zero carbon emissions.

Hybrid Air Vehicles is a pioneering manufacturer of zero-emission aircraft, and member of the SASHA Coalition.

The Skies and Seas Hydrogen-fuels Accelerator (SASHA) Coalition brings together leading companies from across the green shipping and aviation ecosystems to advocate for UK and EU policy that supports the development and commercialisation of the most sustainable green hydrogen energy solutions. The initiative is facilitated by climate NGO Opportunity Green. 

LH2 Shipping aims to safely and effectively realise liquid hydrogen ship technology to vessels globally by ensuring safe, cost-effective design and operations of LH2-fuelled ships through.

Beyond Aero is a leading producer of hydrogen-electric propulsion business aircraft.

Condor is a programme aimed at reducing the overall cost of zero-emission inland navigation.

The Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs) is an international organisation constituted as a non-profit trade association promoting the interests of the zero-emissions ship technology industry. It is a knowledge partner of the SASHA Coalition.