EU ETS Extended to Shipping

Shipping companies operating ships of 5,000 gross tonnage and above must monitor emissions and surrender allowances for 100% of emissions on voyages between EU ports and at berth, and 50% on voyages between an EU and a non-EU port. Surrender phased in at 40% of 2024 emissions and 70% of 2025 emissions, reaching 100% for 2026 emissions onward. Methane and nitrous oxide are covered from 2026. Allowances are due by 30 September of the following year, with a penalty of 100 euros per tonne of excess emissions, indexed to inflation.

The shipping ETS shows up for importers as carrier emission surcharges on every container that touches an EU port. Carriers pass allowance costs through to shippers, and the charge per container rises as the surrender share climbs to 100% for 2026 emissions. For example, a brand shipping containers from Shanghai to Rotterdam pays an ETS surcharge on each box covering half the voyage emissions, so landed cost models for EU fulfillment should include it as a separate line that will keep changing with the carbon price.

• Landed CostTotal cost to get a product ready to sell
• SurchargeFee added on top of the base parcel rate
• Full Container LoadFCLOne shipper's goods in a whole container

• FuelEU Maritime2025 · EU limit on greenhouse gas intensity of ship fuel
• Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)2023, definitive phase from 2026 · EU carbon charge on imports of steel, aluminium and more
• IMO 20202020 · Global 0.50% sulphur cap on marine fuel

1. European Commission: Reducing emissions from the shipping sector climate.ec.europa.eu
2. EMSA: Extension of the EU ETS to maritime emsa.europa.eu