What is FuelEU Maritime? — EU Regulation 2023/1805 Explained

Definition: What is FuelEU Maritime?

FuelEU Maritime is Regulation (EU) 2023/1805, in force from 1 January 2025, setting a declining GHG-intensity limit (g CO2-eq/MJ, Well-to-Wake) on the energy used on board ships calling at EU/EEA ports. It complements the EU ETS (which prices CO2 at the ship level) by pricing the carbon intensity of the fuel used, regardless of quantity.

Who is in scope?

• Ships of 5,000 GT and above regardless of flag.
• 100% of energy used on voyages between EU/EEA ports.
• 50% of energy used on voyages between an EU/EEA port and a non-EU port.
• 100% of energy used while at berth in EU/EEA ports (with a specific on-shore power supply provision from 2030).

The reduction trajectory

Declining GHG intensity versus the 2020 reference (91.16 g CO2-eq/MJ):

• −2% from 2025
• −6% from 2030
• −14.5% from 2035
• −31% from 2040
• −62% from 2045
• −80% from 2050

Use our FuelEU Balance Calculator to estimate your annual compliance balance.

The compliance balance: surplus, deficit, pooling

Each ship calculates an annual FuelEU compliance balance (surplus or deficit) per voyage and aggregated annually. Deficit ships have three options:

1. Bank surplus from future years (up to 2 years forward).
2. Pool compliance with other ships in the same shipping company.
3. Pay the FuelEU penalty — EUR 2,400 per tonne of very low-sulphur fuel oil energy equivalent above the limit, multiplied by the GHG-intensity gap.

RFNBO and the multiplier

Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBOs — e-ammonia, e-methanol, green hydrogen) count 2× toward the GHG-intensity reduction until 2033. From 2034, the multiplier phases out. A sub-target of 2% RFNBO from 2034 applies if the Commission determines uptake is below 1% by 2031.

How FuelEU interacts with EU ETS and the IMO Net-Zero Framework

• EU ETS (phased in 2024–2026) prices Tank-to-Wake CO2 emissions — shipping companies surrender allowances per tonne CO2. FuelEU is additive: it adds a Well-to-Wake layer.
• IMO Net-Zero Framework — expected to adopt a similar Well-to-Wake GFI metric. Once IMO reporting is in place, FuelEU data should largely satisfy it. See What is the IMO Net-Zero Framework?

Monitoring, reporting & verification (MRV)

FuelEU uses the same MRV framework that already underpins EU ETS for shipping (Regulation 2015/757). Shipping companies submit a FuelEU Report via THETIS-MRV annually by 31 March, verified by an accredited verifier. The Document of Compliance must be on board and checked at Port State Control.