North American SAF Conference adds maritime fuels forum

The North American SAF Conference & Expo is expanding its Aug. 25 agenda in Tacoma, Washington, with a new Aviation & Maritime Fuels Forum focused on the overlap between sustainable aviation fuel and renewable marine fuels. The session is meant to help aviation and maritime stakeholders compare shared feedstocks, infrastructure and policy issues as both sectors push to cut emissions.

Why it matters: - The forum puts aviation and maritime decarbonization in the same room, reflecting a growing competition for the same feedstocks, infrastructure and fuel production capacity. - The agenda is aimed at showing where collaboration could speed deployment of sustainable fuels across two hard-to-abate transportation sectors. - Ports, fuel producers, airlines, investors and regulators are all part of the audience the conference is trying to connect.

What happened: - The North American SAF Conference & Expo added the Aviation & Maritime Fuels Forum to its agenda. - The forum will take place the morning of Aug. 25 in Tacoma, Washington, before the SAF Conference opening general session. - The conference is produced by BBI International and SAF Magazine, in partnership with the Commercial Airline Alternative Fuel Initiative and C-SAF. - The event is in its fourth year. - Registration includes access to the Aviation & Maritime Fuels Forum. - More information and registration are available through the conference website.

The details: - The forum will focus on renewable marine fuels, including biofuels, and the links between marine and aviation fuel systems. - CAAFI’s Steve Csonka will open the program with remarks on where SAF and maritime fuel markets overlap. - Csonka is expected to cover shared feedstocks, technologies, infrastructure and policy priorities, along with areas of competition and collaboration. - Port of Seattle Commission President Ryan Calkins will deliver the keynote. - The Port of Seattle will host a panel with representatives across the maritime fuels value chain. - Additional speakers include Tad Hepner of the American Maritime Biofuels Initiative and Chris Cassidy of USDA. - Session topics will include renewable marine fuels for vessel decarbonization, shared feedstocks and logistics, policy developments, renewable diesel, ethanol, renewable natural gas, port support for fuel growth and cross-sector collaboration. - The conference is positioned as a major industry gathering for sustainable aviation fuel, bringing together fuel producers, airlines, technology developers, feedstock suppliers, project developers, investors, regulators and other stakeholders.

Between the lines: - The added forum signals that SAF is no longer being discussed as an isolated aviation issue. - Maritime fuel demand is becoming part of the same low-carbon supply chain conversation, which could intensify pressure on policy, sourcing and infrastructure decisions. - The format suggests industry leaders see practical overlap in how both sectors may scale, even if they compete for some of the same inputs.

What's next: - The Aviation & Maritime Fuels Forum will run Aug. 25 ahead of the main conference sessions. - Speakers and attendees will use the event to compare deployment barriers and potential joint solutions. - The broader conference will continue its role as a networking and market-development venue for the SAF sector.

The bottom line: - The North American SAF Conference is broadening its scope to reflect a bigger market reality: aviation and maritime fuel decarbonization are increasingly linked.