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 Maritime Regulations and Shipping News

FuelEU Maritime allows pooling as one of its flexibility mechanisms. Under Article 21 of the Regulation, companies may group vessels in a pool to reallocate compliance balances. This is provided the pool satisfies the regulatory conditions on surplus/deficit allocation and total positive balance. For more details, see our previous newsletter. In April of the year following the reporting period (for the first time April 2026), pools and their allocations must be recorded in th

The end of a FuelEU Maritime reporting year doesn't mean the work is done. On the contrary, it marks the beginning of an interesting post-reporting process that is as critical as the operations throughout the year. It requires this process to be laid out in great detail, clarify the timeline, procedural options, and the sequence companies have to follow between January and June of the following year. Understanding these steps is essential to ensuring compliance and avoiding c

With FuelEU Maritime now in full swing, understanding which parts of energy consumed counts on which voyage—and how much—towards your compliance balance can make or break your most cost-effective compliance strategy. The regulation applies to all vessels above 5,000 GT calling EU/EEA ports, but the percentage of energy considered under FuelEU differs dramatically depending on the voyage profile. Today’s newsletter breaks it down in detail: we look beyond the usual intra-EU vs

The FuelEU Maritime Regulation introduces several compliance mechanisms. These help companies meet their greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity targets. One notable mechanism is borrowing, which allows ships to offset a compliance deficit by using surplus from the following reporting period. This approach may seem straightforward, but it comes with strict limitations, risks, and long-term implications. In this week’s newsletter, we explore how borrowing works, when it is allowable, a

Pooling is one of the compliance mechanisms under the FuelEU Maritime Regulation and offers an advantageous but new compliance option. By redistributing compliance surpluses and deficits within a defined group (pool) of vessels, pooling can optimize compliance costs and even create financial opportunities. However, as a new approach, it comes with specific rules and challenges that require careful consideration. Believe it or not, BetterSea’s Monday Newsletter has never offic

Selling or buying ships under FuelEU Maritime introduces challenges for both buyers and sellers. The regulation adds complexity to the process, from managing compliance balances to ensuring compliance responsibility between both parties. This week’s newsletter explores the regulatory requirements for ship sales, highlights potential risks, and includes a practical example. Regulatory Requirements for Selling and Buying Ships under FuelEU Maritime The FuelEU Maritime Regulatio

Following up on last week’s newsletter on emission factors, this week we’ll focus on the practical application of those factors: calculating the GHG intensity of a ship under FuelEU Maritime. Using the example question posed on our LinkedIn quiz, we’ll provide a guide on how to correctly calculate the GHG intensity based on an example with a containership using heavy fuel oil (HFO). What is GHG Intensity? Under FuelEU Maritime, the GHG intensity is the ratio of total greenhou

Most essential for compliance with FuelEU Maritime is the emission factor used to determine the GHG intensity. The emission factor under FuelEU Maritime measures a fuel's lifecycle emissions (well-to-wake), which are expressed in grams of CO2 equivalent per megajoule (g CO2e/MJ). Today’s newsletter sheds light on where to find a fuel’s emission factor and how it is derived: Where to find a fuel’s emission factor for calculations under FuelEU Maritime? FuelEU Maritime is the f

With more and more decarbonisation regulations, the shipping industry is seeing a growing influence from carbon pricing mechanisms. The FuelEU Maritime regulation is the EU's most recent way of tackling shipping emissions, but it’s not the only one. Regulatory carbon markets, such as the existing EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), and other globally or regionally discussed systems are setting the stage for a future where carbon costs will shape maritime. This week, we expl