FuelEU Maritime:
Having entered into force on January 1, 2025, the FuelEU Maritime regulation marks a major turning point for maritime transport professionals in Europe. It is no longer just a voluntary commitment to decarbonization: it is now a legal obligation, carrying significant financial penalties in the event of non-compliance.
For shipowners, charterers, and fleet operators, understanding what FuelEU Maritime imposes and preparing for it concretely has become a strategic priority.
What is the FuelEU Maritime regulation?
FuelEU Maritime is a European regulation (EU 2023/1805), adopted on September 13, 2023, by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. It is part of the “Fit for 55” legislative package, which aims to reduce the European Union’s net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and within the broader framework of the European Green Deal.
Its main objective is twofold:
- 1. Gradually reduce the carbon intensity of maritime fuels, by imposing maximum greenhouse gas (GHG) emission limits for the energy used on board ships—up until 2050.
- 2. Mandate onshore power supply for certain types of ships in European ports starting in 2030, in order to reduce air pollution in port areas.
Unlike other sectoral regulations, FuelEU Maritime is technologically neutral: it does not prescribe a specific fuel, but sets GHG intensity thresholds that ships must respect, leaving shipowners the choice of means to achieve them (alternative fuels, operational optimization, propulsion technologies, etc.).
Who does FuelEU Maritime apply to?
The regulation applies to all commercial ships over 5,000 gross tonnage (GT), regardless of their flag, as soon as they call at a port in the European Union or the European Economic Area (EEA).
Specifically concerned are:
• Passenger ships (cruise ships, ferries, RoPax)
• Container ships
• Bulk carriers and tankers
• General cargo ships
The following are excluded from the system:
fishing vessels, military vessels, recreational craft, and public service vessels not mechanically propelled. An extension to ships under 5,000 GT could be considered by 2027.
Responsibility for compliance lies with the shipping company — the shipowner or the entity that has taken over operational responsibilities — according to the polluter-pays principle.
Why has maritime data
become essential?
Progressive reduction targets until 2050
FuelEU Maritime sets maximum GHG intensity thresholds for the energy consumed on board, calculated in grams of CO₂ equivalent per megajoule (gCO₂eq/MJ), over the entire lifecycle of the fuels (well-to-wake). These thresholds include CO₂ emissions, as well as methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O).
| Year | Required reduction compared to 2020 |
|---|---|
| 2025 | − 2% |
| 2030 | − 6% |
| 2035 | − 14.5% |
| 2040 | − 31% |
| 2045 | − 62% |
| 2050 | − 80% |
While the first target for 2025 may seem modest, the curve accelerates sharply starting in 2030: adaptation strategies must be built now.
A mandatory monitoring plan
Since August 31, 2024, each concerned ship must have a monitoring plan — a document detailing the procedures for collecting, reporting, and verifying data related to consumption and emissions. This plan must be submitted to an accredited verifier.
An annual declaration
Starting in 2025 (first reporting period), companies are required to annually declare the average carbon intensity of the energy used by each ship in the FuelEU Maritime database, managed by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The first report for the year 2025 must be submitted to the verifier before January 31, 2026.
Onshore Power Supply (OPS) starting in 2030
Passenger ships and container ships must use onshore power supply (or equivalent zero-emission technology) when moored in major EU ports starting January 1, 2030.
What are the sanctions for non-compliance?
The FuelEU Maritime regulation provides for deterrent financial penalties, specifically designed to make the “pay rather than comply” strategy commercially unviable.
The base penalty amount is set at €2,400 per metric ton of VLSFO equivalent exceeding the authorized limit — calculated on the difference between the cost of a low-carbon fuel and that of a fossil fuel.
In the event of repeated non-compliance over several consecutive years, surcharges apply (+10%, +20%, etc.). Beyond the direct financial cost, a ship that does not receive its FuelEU Document of Compliance faces operational restrictions in European ports, or even detention or refusal of access.
Flexibility mechanisms provided by the regulation
FuelEU Maritime incorporates several mechanisms allowing companies to optimize their compliance strategy:
Pooling: ships from the same company — or different companies — can pool their compliance balances. The group average must respect the thresholds. This mechanism allows the over-compliance of certain ships to compensate for the deficits of others.
Banking: a ship that has anticipated its reductions can benefit from a credit that can be carried forward to subsequent years.
RFNBOs (renewable fuels of non-biological origin, such as green hydrogen or e-fuels) benefit from a special incentive regime: a credit is granted to ships that use them between 2025 and 2034, in order to encourage their large-scale development.
These mechanisms require detailed and continuous knowledge of the consumption and emission data of each ship, which further reinforces the central role of maritime data in the compliance strategy.
How to concretely prepare for FuelEU Maritime?
Compliance with FuelEU Maritime cannot be improvised. It relies on a chain of operational and strategic measures:
1. Implement reliable and continuous data collection
The first obligation is documentary: without precise data on the actual consumption of each ship, it is impossible to calculate its GHG intensity, anticipate its compliance level, or choose the best optimization strategy. Automating collection — via onboard acquisition systems — is essential to eliminate manual recording errors and guarantee the reliability of declarations.
2. Calculate and monitor the compliance balance continuously
Waiting until the end of the year to evaluate your FuelEU position means taking the risk of finding yourself in deficit without room for maneuver. Real-time or semi-real-time monitoring allows for adjustments throughout the year.
3. Optimize operational efficiency
Even before considering a fuel change, a significant portion of gains can be achieved through operational optimization: reducing unnecessary engine speeds, improving eco-driving, and better management of navigation phases. These operational levers can be activated immediately, without ship modification.
4. Build a medium-term compliance strategy
The intensification of targets starting in 2030 requires thinking now about the necessary investments: ship adaptation, refitting, choice of alternative fuels, pooling policy, etc. These strategic decisions must be based on objective data and scenario simulations.
5. Update charter contracts
Since responsibility for compliance is legally assigned to the company, it is essential to contractually clarify the distribution of costs and obligations between shipowners and charterers.
Ecomer Data: A tool for your FuelEU Maritime compliance
Ecomer Data is an analytical econometer designed for maritime professionals. By combining an onboard system (onboard collection and visualization) and shore-based analysis software, the solution provides the consumption data, emission indicators, and dashboards necessary to manage your FuelEU Maritime compliance daily — and reduce your consumption by up to 10% without ship modification.
