Evolutionary process of changing marine fuels - transition fuels on the way to the hydrogen era

The article presents the ongoing transformation of marine fuels - from fossil fuels to transition fuels and the final target - hydrogen. This process was forced by the legal regulations of the International Maritime Organization and the European Union Parliament. The target year is 2050, but intermediate targets should be achieved in 2030 and 2040. The base year is 2008. By the end of 2022, an increasing trend of interest in more environmentally friendly fuels was observed. However, it is far from expectations. Analyzing ships under construction and those ordered, a much higher share of renewable fuels intended for propulsion of ships is observed. The shipowners took precautionary measures. They order ships for transitional fuels, which reduce investment and operating costs, assuming that far-reaching changes will take place after overcoming significant technological problems, lowering the prices of equipment and fuel. The article analyzes the ongoing processes, justifying the sense of the actions taken. The regulations being introduced have a significant impact on the ongoing transformation processes of marine fuels. It was noted that they may have serious consequences for maritime transport, indicating potential threats.