FuelEU Maritime
FuelEU Maritime is the EU regulation, applying from 1 January 2025, that caps the greenhouse gas intensity of energy used by large ships calling at EU and EEA ports and tightens the cap every five years.
What it requires
Companies operating ships of 5,000 gross tonnage and above must cut the well-to-wake greenhouse gas intensity of onboard energy against a 2020 baseline of 91.16 grams CO2 equivalent per megajoule: 2% from 2025, 6% from 2030, rising to 80% by 2050. Coverage mirrors the ETS: 100% of energy on intra-EU voyages and at berth, 50% on extra-EU voyages. Shortfalls cost 2,400 euros per tonne of VLSFO-equivalent energy. From 2030 container and passenger ships must use shore power at major EU ports.
Why it matters
FuelEU Maritime adds a second, growing fuel surcharge to EU-bound ocean freight on top of the ETS. Carriers either buy costlier biofuels and other low-carbon fuels or pool compliance, and they recover the cost from shippers through FuelEU surcharges. For example, a retailer comparing two carriers on an Asia to Hamburg lane should compare all-in rates, because one carrier may list a separate FuelEU fee while another bundles it into its bunker charge. The cost step-up in 2030 is worth building into long-term freight contracts now.
Related laws
Sources
- European Commission: Decarbonising maritime transport, FuelEU Maritime transport.ec.europa.eu
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 (EUR-Lex) eur-lex.europa.eu
Not legal advice.