The carbon footprint benchmark for Brazilian corn ethanol recognized by IMO

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The 25th National \"Safety Production Month\" in 2026: Everyone should talk about safety and know how to handle emergencies; risks and hazards need to be identified and addressed. -------------------------------------------------- Recently, several industry executives have told the media that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has officially established a carbon footprint benchmark for corn ethanol in Brazil, which could make the shipping industry a key market for Brazil’s bioethanol industry in the future. 　　In May this year, the IMO specified that the default carbon footprint for ethanol produced from second-generation corn in Brazil is 20.8 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule, whereas the average greenhouse gas emission intensity of shipping fuel is 93.3 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule – showing a significant difference between the two. Gustavo Mariano, vice president of trading company Inpasa, said that the implementation of this standard represents a key step in establishing the IMO’s regulatory framework for low-carbon fuels; it holds both historical value and symbolic significance, and it reinforces the position of corn ethanol from Brazil and South America as viable fuels for decarbonizing shipping. 　　For a long time, Brazil’s ethanol industry has relied mainly on sugarcane-based ethanol. However, data from the industry association UNEM show that during the 2025/26 growing season, Brazil’s production of corn ethanol will approach 10 billion liters, compared to 2.65 billion liters just a decade earlier, indicating significant growth in production capacity. Rafael Aboud, president of FS Sustainable Energy, a corn ethanol company, noted that once biofuels are approved for widespread use as ship fuel, low-carbon ethanol will enjoy the premium associated with green fuels. The relevant companies have carried out comprehensive efforts to reduce emissions through upgrades, optimized the use of biomass, and improved production efficiency; they have also invested in bioenergy carbon capture and storage projects, with the aim of achieving negative carbon emissions for their products. 　　Industry experts believe that the global shipping fuel market is enormous; Brazilian second-generation corn ethanol will not compete with sugarcane ethanol and biodiesel, but rather complement them. Mariano said that if all global ship fuel were converted to ethanol equivalent, the demand would be close to 400 billion liters. Such a large market requires a combined supply of various sustainable biofuels, and there is significant potential for the development of corn ethanol.