FuelEU Maritime & EU ETS: decarbonisation reaches shipping
Adopted 2026-06-14 · ≈ 1 min read · 
edited by Dirk Baaijen
Since 1 January 2025 FuelEU Maritime (Regulation (EU) 2023/1805) applies: ships above 5,000 GT calling at EU ports must cut the greenhouse-gas intensity of their energy — 2% in 2025, rising to 80% by 2050. Together with the EU ETS for shipping it puts a price on emissions.
Beyond the digital and data rules, shipping is also hit by a decarbonisation wave. Two EU instruments work together: FuelEU Maritime steers the fuel, the EU ETS prices the emissions.
FuelEU Maritime
Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 has applied since 1 January 2025 (the monitoring plan already from 31 August 2024) and affects ships above 5,000 GT calling at EU ports, regardless of flag. At its core is a declining limit on the greenhouse-gas intensity of the energy used, calculated over the full lifecycle (well-to-wake): 2% reduction in 2025, rising via 6% (2030) and 13% (2035) to 80% by 2050. There is also a duty to use on-shore power (OPS) or zero-emission technology at berth.
EU ETS for shipping
The EU Emissions Trading System has been phased in for shipping (2024–2026). Shipping companies must surrender allowances for their CO2 emissions (tank-to-wake). Where FuelEU steers the demand side (forcing cleaner fuel), the ETS prices the supply side (the absolute emissions). Together they make fossil shipping structurally more expensive.
What it means for you
- Ship owner or manager? Monitoring, reporting and a reduction strategy
(fuel mix, on-shore power) are now ongoing obligations, not future music.
- Shipper or forwarder? ETS and FuelEU costs feed through into freight
rates; factor them into contracts and chain choices.
Want to know which EU regimes besides decarbonisation affect your organisation — the Data Act, eFTI, EMSWe, the AI Act, NIS2 — and where your readiness stands? Take the Transport & Logistics scan.
Sources
- https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1805/oj
Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 (FuelEU Maritime): GHG-intensity limits for ships >5,000 GT; applicable from 1 January 2025. - https://www.emsa.europa.eu/reducing-emissions/fuel-eu-maritime-regulation.html
EMSA — FuelEU Maritime: scope, targets and obligations, including on-shore power at berth.
Read next
FuelEU Maritime or EU ETS for shipping: what is the difference?
FuelEU Maritime steers the fuel — a falling greenhouse gas intensity (well-to-wake) from 2% in 2025 to 80% in 2050. The EU ETS for shipping instead prices emissions (tank-to-wake CO2) via allowances. Two separate regimes that complement each other.
Does my ship fall under FuelEU Maritime?
FuelEU Maritime (Regulation (EU) 2023/1805) has applied since 1 January 2025 to ships above 5,000 GT calling at EU ports, regardless of flag. What matters is the tonnage and the EU port call, not the ship's nationality.
On-shore power at berth: when and for whom mandatory?
FuelEU Maritime requires ships above 5,000 GT calling at EU ports to use on-shore power (OPS) or zero-emission technology at berth. The regulation has applied since 1 January 2025, regardless of flag.