At the 11th International Maritime Science Conference (IMSC), held in Split, Croatia, on 8–9 May 2025, the Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH) showcased important research carried out within the framework of the NextFuel project.
Dr. Evangelos Bekiaris, Chairman of the Board & General Director of CERTH, presented the paper titled:
“Optimal Locations for Biomethanol Production Through Electrified Steam Methane Reforming: A Case Study Across Southern Europe”,
authored by A.M. Moustaka, V. Kappatos, A. Anagnostopoulou, A. Akac, and E. Bekiaris.
About the Study
The paper investigates optimal sites for establishing biomethanol production plants in Southern Europe using electrified Steam Methane Reforming (eSMR) — an emerging and scalable route towards sustainable fuel production for maritime applications.
The assessment considered key parameters such as:
- Sustainable feedstock availability
- Electricity supply and cost
- Proximity to industrial infrastructure
- Access to ports and export logistics
Through this multi-criteria evaluation, the study identifies four highly promising locations:
- Marghera (Italy)
- Ravenna (Italy)
- Elefsina (Greece)
- Thessaloniki (Greece)
These findings support the NextFuel project’s mission to accelerate the deployment of renewable and low-carbon fuels across Europe’s energy and maritime sectors.
Publication Status
The abstract is available in the official IMSC 2025 Book of Abstracts:
https://imsc.pfst.hr/index.php/abstracts/
The full conference proceedings are expected to be published later in the year.
Photo Highlights
Below are two photos of Dr. Evangelos Bekiaris presenting the study at IMSC 2025 (IMSC 1 & 2):
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 101136225.
