The Global Ethanol Association (GEA) has been launched as a Switzerland-based non-profit to accelerate ethanol adoption, with its first major initiative focused on the marine fuel market.

Through its marine fuel sector Initiative, GEA aims to build demand for ethanol in shipping while ensuring supply chains can scale to support the industry’s shift to alternative marine fuels, GEA said in a press release published on LinkedIn on Thursday.

Founding members include engine developer WinGD.

By bringing together a global network of stakeholders — from ethanol suppliers to shipowners and players across the marine fuel chain — GEA aims to foster innovation, attract investment and speed up market uptake

“By leveraging the capabilities of new multi-fuel marine engines, ethanol can be integrated into the low-emission marine fuel mix,” Morten Jacobsen, Co-Founder & Secretary General of the Global Ethanol Association, noted.

“This future-proof approach offers shipowners and operators the flexibility to adapt to regional fuel availability, pricing, and sustainability goals.”

“Our advanced multi-fuel engine technology enables shipowners to adopt ethanol as part of the sustainable fuel mix,” Dominik Schneiter, CEO of WinGD, said.

GEA is calling on stakeholders across the ethanol value chain to join its efforts to scale supply, attract investment, and advance multi-fuel solutions.