European Council Adopts ‘FuelEU Maritime’ Regulation to Help Combat Ship Emissions

The European Council has approved the ‘FuelEU maritime’ regulation, which aims to promote the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in the maritime shipping industry and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The regulation is aligned with the EU’s climate targets for 2030 and 2050 and is expected to make a significant impact on reducing maritime emissions.

The primary goal of FuelEU maritime is to increase the adoption of renewable and low-carbon fuels by gradually reducing the greenhouse gas intensity of fuels burned by ships. The regulation will enforce a 2% mandatory reduction in 2025, with the target of achieving an 80% reduction by 2050. Additionally, the regulation includes various provisions such as incentives for renewable fuels, exclusion of fossil fuels from certification, on-shore power supply in ports, voluntary pooling for compliance, exceptions for outermost regions and small islands, and revenue allocation for decarbonization projects with monitoring by the Commission.

Spanish Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, Raquel Sánchez Jiménez, stated that the new law will provide legal certainty for ship operators and fuel producers and encourage the production of sustainable maritime fuels, thereby helping to fulfill climate targets both in Europe and globally.

Maritime transport currently contributes to 3 to 4% of the EU’s total CO2 emissions as of 2021. The reduction targets specified in the FuelEU maritime regulation will cover emissions of CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide throughout the entire lifecycle of the fuels.

FuelEU maritime is part of the Fit for 55 package, a comprehensive plan to reduce the EU’s net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The bulk of the regulation is set to come into effect from January 1, 2025.

Source .