Eni establishes partnership with Fincantieri, RINA to decarbonize maritime transport

Photo: Eni

Global energy company Eni announced a new agreement March 25 with Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups and the only one active in all high-tech marine-industry sectors, and RINA, a multinational inspection, certification and engineering consultancy, to develop joint initiatives for the energy transition.

The partnership formalizes the commitment to develop joint projects, in line with the partners’ strategies, to decarbonize the maritime sector in the medium to long term with the goal of net zero by 2050.

Additionally, the establishment of a permanent global observatory regarding future technological, regulatory and market developments will be evaluated. 

The three companies will conduct a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the most sustainable alternatives to support the maritime-decarbonization pathway.

This will also be based on the development of complementary solutions to fuels already available for other hard-to-abate sectors.

The partnership’s areas of interest also include an analysis of the reference energy infrastructure and the development of new logistic structures, including the investments that the sector requires. 

“The collaboration with Fincantieri and RINA, two major Italian players, is a further step in our journey towards the transition and decarbonization of maritime transport,” said Giuseppe Ricci, chief operating officer for energy evolution at Eni. “To meet the objectives of the United Nations’ 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 decarbonizing maritime transport and meeting the needs of shipowners and logistics operators, always leveraging a holistic approach.”

Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and managing director of Fincantieri, said, “We are highly committed to supporting our clients in addressing the industrial challenges of the maritime energy transition, and 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. We are very pleased to join forces with Eni and RINA in an alliance to materialize existing solutions and to pave the way for the future with a proactive ecosystem approach. Indeed, new technologies must be industrialized onboard ships, just as new fuels must be produced and distributed at the dock. Only with a concept of ‘operationalizing innovation’ can we lead our industry and project our shipbuilding leadership into the future.”

Carlo Luzzatto, CEO and general manager of RINA, added, “We strongly believe in the value of collaboration and the opportunities it brings, particularly when it involves players of international caliber such as Eni and Fincantieri. Together, we have the opportunity to share knowledge and experience and to contribute to more sustainable solutions that support the shipping supply chain. RINA brings to the partnership its engineering and technological skills developed across various sectors to support shipping in its journey towards reducing its carbon footprint, without excluding any energy options.”

Eni noted that the understanding may be the subject of subsequent binding agreements that the parties will define in compliance with applicable legislation, including that relating to transactions between related parties.