Brussels,

Decarbonising maritime transport – FuelEU Maritime

The Commission, in cooperation with Members States, engages in the international work on reducing carbon emissions at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).  In 2023 the IMO adopted the revised strategy, further defining its vision and guiding principles, as well as candidate mid- and long-term measures.

FuelEU Maritime is part of the EU’s Fit for 55 package and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by promoting the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels.

Key Objectives and Scope

  • Applies to ships over 5,000 gross tonnage calling at EU ports, regardless of flag.
  • Sets maximum limits on GHG intensity of energy used onboard, decreasing over time:
    • –2% by 2025, reaching –80% by 2050.
  • Covers CO₂, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions on a Well-to-Wake basis.
  • Fully applicable from 1 January 2025, with monitoring obligations (Articles 8 & 9) starting August 2024.

Shore-Side Power Requirements

  • From 2030: Passenger and container ships at berth must use on-shore power supply (OPS) in major ports.
  • From 2035: Obligation extended to all EU ports with OPS capability.

Flexible, Technology-Neutral Approach

  • Encourages innovation and operator choice in fuel/technology use.
  • Includes flexibility mechanisms for compliance and rewards for early adopters.

Monitoring & Reporting Timeline

  • Monitoring plans due within 2 months after first EU port call (from 31 Aug 2024).
  • First reporting period: 2025 (data monitoring).
  • First verification period: 2026 (data verification).
  • First FuelEU report due: 31 January 2026.

Latest Developments

  • Norway and Iceland: Regulation delayed due to EEA incorporation; their ports treated as third-country ports from 1 January 2025 until further notice.

Supporting Tools & Governance

  • Secondary legislation includes:
    • Verification rules, monitoring templates, and verifier accreditation.
  • Upcoming acts on:
    • OPS communication,
    • FuelEU database,
    • Zero-emission tech criteria.
  • Helpdesk: Contact [email protected] for FuelEU-related queries.

International Context

  • FuelEU complements IMO’s global GHG reduction strategy, with the EU contributing to international maritime decarbonisation.

Further Resources

Relevant links
  • Full FuelEU Regulation Text: The official text of Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 on the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport, and amending Directive 2009/16/EC can be accessed through the Official Journal of the European Union.
  • EU ETS: The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) has been extended to the maritime sector from January 2024. The extension covers CO2 emissions from all large ships (of 5 000 gross tonnage and above) entering EU ports, regardless of the flag they fly.
  • AFIR: The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation sets mandatory targets for the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure in the EU, for road vehicles, vessels and stationary aircraft.
  • Renewable Energy Directive: The Renewable Energy Directive is a legal framework for the development of clean energy across all sectors of the EU economy, supporting cooperation between EU countries towards this goal.
  • RLCF Alliance: The Renewable and Low-Carbon Fuels Value Chain Industrial Alliance (RLCF Alliance) is an initiative that focuses on boosting production and supply of renewable and low-carbon fuels in the aviation and waterborne sectors.
  • European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA): EMSA also provides resources, updates, and documents on the implementation fo the MRV, ETS Maritime and FuelEU Maritime Regulations.
  • European Sustainable Shipping Forum: The European Sustainable Shipping Forum is a platform for structural dialogue, exchange of technical knowledge, cooperation and coordination between the Commission, Member States authorities and maritime transport stakeholders on issues pertaining to the sustainability and the competitiveness of EU maritime transport.
  • EU Innovation fund: The Innovation Fund is one of the world’s largest funding programmes for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies.
  • MRV Regulation: The MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification) Regulation mandates the monitoring and reporting of CO2 emissions from ships, by ensuring compliance and enforcement of emissions reduction targets.