<article><p class="lead">The UK government will consult on a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate and will invest £20mn ($26.5mn) to develop clean maritime technology as part of efforts to decarbonise.</p><p>The government said it will take "immediate steps to drive the uptake of sustainable aviation fuels," through a £15mn ($20mn) competition to support production of the product, which is also known as biojet. It will invest in development of zero-emission aircraft and establish a biojet clearing house to enable certification of new fuels. </p><p>A SAF mandate could start in 2025, the government said.</p><p>This could provide impetus for existing moves in the country. A public-private partnership called the Jet Zero Council has been established to promote development of biojet, and industry group Sustainable Aviation has committed to achieve <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2063468">net-zero carbon emissions by 2050</a> and to boost SAF development.</p><p>In the maritime sector, the government will invest in a demonstration programme to develop clean technology. The UK already operates a hydrogen ferry trial in Orkney, Scotland, and plans a hydrogen refuelling port in Teesside.</p><p>These investments could result in savings of up to 1mn t CO2e by 2032 from the maritime industry and around 15mn t CO2e by 2050 from biojet, the government said without providing details.</p><p class="bylines">By Giulia Squadrin</p></article>