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The European Commission has approved two State aid schemes supporting the maritime and aviation  sectors in Spain and the Netherlands, targeting the impact of higher fuel costs and the uptake of clean maritime technologies respectively.

The Commission approved a €74 million Spanish State aid scheme to compensate maritime transport operators for increased fuel costs resulting from the ongoing armed conflict at the Persian Gulf. The scheme covers companies providing regular passenger, roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) and freight maritime services on specific routes connecting mainland Spain with its other territories, as well as certain inter-island routes. Support will take the form of direct grants calculated based on fuel consumption, covering up to 70% of the additional fuel costs incurred between 21 March and 21 September 2026. The measure follows the Commission’s approval of a €402 million Spanish state aid scheme for road transport operators in late June under the same temporary State aid framework (METSAF).

The Commission approved a €103 million Dutch State aid scheme aimed at accelerating the uptake of clean technologies in the maritime sector. Running from 2027 to 2031, the scheme will provide direct grants through open procedures for the purchase of new zero-emission vessels powered by renewable methanol and hydrogen and the retrofitting of existing vessels to enable them to operate on these fuels. Vessels operating primarily in short-sea shipping will be eligible for support. According to the Commission, the scheme is intended to address the high upfront costs and limited commercial incentives that currently hamper the uptake of clean maritime transport technologies. By reducing these investment barriers, the measure is expected to support the decarbonisation of the Dutch maritime fleet and facilitate the deployment of renewable fuels in short-sea shipping.

The European Commission also approved two Dutch State aid schemes with a combined budget of €290 million to support the development and production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).  One of the schemes will provide investment aid for SAF production, while the other will support preparatory activities, including front-end engineering design studies. The schemes are expected to support projects with a combined production capacity of around 285 kilo tonnes of SAF per year, equivalent to approximately 350 million litres of kerosene or around 3,500 intercontinental flights. Aid will be provided through direct grants linked to the completion of project milestones, with funding available between 2027 and 2031.