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FuelEU Maritime is now transitioning from a phase of preparation into one of execution. Over the first compliance year, market participants have developed compliance strategies based on assumptions. Surplus positions were modelled, pooling arrangements were structured, and commercial transactions were entered into on the expectation that these structures would translate into regulatory outcomes once the FuelEU Database and its operational framework became operational. With th

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

Each week, more stakeholders enter the FuelEU Maritime pooling market. With this influx comes growing uncertainty about what can and should be traded. One recurring misconception is the idea of trading only “already generated surplus.” While this cautious approach may seem prudent, it overlooks the annual nature of FuelEU Maritime compliance. Understanding FuelEU Calculations & Annual Energy Consumption FuelEU Maritime does not measure compliance at any single point in time.

As the first FuelEU Maritime compliance cycle progresses, the surplus market has expanded rapidly. What began as a maritime compliance instrument has evolved into a traded commodity. This evolution has attracted far more participants than the regulation or its creators anticipated. FuelEU Pooling Rights and Their Holders The regulation assigns compliance responsibility to the ISM company, granting them the right to pool. However, contractual arrangements allow for the reassig

Last week, the maritime sector was waiting for a turning point. At the extraordinary MEPC83 session, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was expected to adopt the long-discussed Net Zero Framework (NZF). Instead, following a geopolitical standoff led by the United States and Saudi Arabia, the decision was deferred. The IMO will now revisit the NZF no earlier than October 2026, effectively pushing back the global decarbonisation timeline by at least one to two years.

FuelEU Maritime compliance brings new commercial challenges. While the regulation defines penalties and created a surplus trading market, it leaves open how owners and charterers should settle costs and benefits in charter parties. The result? A wide range of FuelEU addendums now circulating in the market. In today's newsletter, we shed light on the different settlement options. General Recap: Charter Party Agreements under FuelEU Maritime End of 2024, BIMCO released its stan

BetterSea Launches the World’s First FuelEU Index, Signaling a New Era of Transparency and Trading Confidence

UECC, BetterSea and Veracity by DNV Demonstrate Streamlined, Real-Time FuelEU Maritime ComplianceThrough Trusted Digital Integration

As shipping companies navigate the complex cost landscape shaped by FuelEU Maritime, understanding the trade-offs between compliance options becomes essential. This week, we revisit the biofuel vs pooling discussion of previous newsletters with a focused case study: a containership on a transatlantic voyage. Voyage Details: Route: New York to Hamburg Speed: 24 knots Duration: ~6 days Fuel Consumption (50%): 200 tonnes MDO + 450 tonnes VLSFO Regulatory Scope: 50% exposure to F