The European Union has introduced FuelEU Maritime (Regulation (EU) 2023/1805), a landmark regulation designed to decarbonize maritime transport by setting binding limits on the greenhouse gas intensity of marine fuels.
FuelEU Maritime imposes annual average GHG intensity requirements on the energy used on board applicable ships, measured on a well-to-wake basis. The regulation requires ships to progressively reduce their carbon footprint, with targets ranging from 2% in 2025 to up to 80% by 2050.
Unlike previous regulations that focused solely on carbon dioxide, FuelEU takes a Well-to-Wake approach — accounting for emissions from fuel production, transportation, and consumption. This comprehensive methodology captures the full environmental impact of maritime operations.
Key objectives
- Reduce GHG emissions from shipping by up to 80% by 2050
- Drive adoption of renewable and low-carbon fuels
- Create a level playing field for sustainable shipping
FuelEU Maritime applies to:
- All ships above 5,000 gross tonnage transporting passengers or cargo for commercial purposes (*)
- Voyages between two EEA ports, into EEA ports from non-EEA ports, and out of EEA ports to non-EEA ports (**)
- Effective from 1 January 2025 — first compliance report due 31 January 2026
(*) Note: The regulation applies to all commercial ships above 5,000 gross tonnage calling at EU/EEA ports, regardless of nationality. “Transporting passengers or cargo” is implied in the scope, but the legal art. do not explicitly exclude non-cargo/passenger commercial ships – the key threshold is commercial use and GT over 5,000. Certain vessel types (e.g., warships, fishing vessels) are excluded from MRV and likely from parts of FuelEU, but this varies by implementation.
(**) Note: FuelEU coverage depends on the type of voyage:
- 100 % of the energy used in intra-EU/EEA voyages and port calls;
- 50 % of energy used on voyages entering from or departing to non-EEA ports.
Annual GHG intensity reduction targets:
| Year | Reduction Target | |——|—————–| | 2025 | 2% | | 2030 | 6% | | 2035 | 14.5% | | 2040 | 31% | | 2050 | Up to 80% |
(*) Note: tabular percentages reflect secondary/industry guidance rather than the current codified regulation text.
Actions Required by Affected Parties
Ship owners, operators, and managers must:
Submit Monitoring Plans
- Develop comprehensive monitoring plans describing fuel data collection methodology
- Get plans approved by EU-accredited verifiers
- Within 2 months of first EU port call
Collect and Report Fuel Data
- Record fuel consumption for every voyage (amount, type, LCV)
- Calculate Well-to-Wake emissions (CO2, CH4, N2O)
- Track electricity consumption from Onshore Power Supply
- Submit annual FuelEU Report by 31 January each year
Ensure Verification
- Engage EU-accredited verifiers for compliance verification
- Complete verification by 31 March annually
- Address any audit queries promptly
Manage Compliance
- Calculate compliance balance (actual vs. required GHG intensity)
- Utilize flexibility mechanisms (banking, borrowing, pooling)
- Pay penalties by 30 June if non-compliant
- Obtain Document of Compliance before entering EEA ports
Critical Consequences up to
- No Document of Compliance = no EEA port access
- Repeat non-compliance may result in port access bans
WHAT WE DO
We provide end-to-end FuelEU compliance services for ship owners, operators, and managers:
A. Monitoring Plan Development
- Comprehensive fuel monitoring methodology design
- EU-compliant template preparation
- Verifier coordination and approval support
B. Data Collection & Management
- Voyage-level fuel consumption tracking systems
- Emissions calculation and reporting
- Data quality assurance and audit trail
C. Compliance Calculations
- GHG intensity calculations (Well-to-Wake methodology)
- Compliance balance determination
- Penalty estimation and scenario analysis
D. Reporting Services
- Annual FuelEU Report preparation
- Verification liaison and document submission
- Compliance certificate management
E. Ongoing Compliance Support
- Quarterly compliance health checks
- Regulatory updates and deadline reminders
- Support for auditor queries