Cargo ships must use 2 percent green fuel in EU from 2025 23/03/23

With a provisional agreement on the fuel directive FuelEU Maritime, the final demands for green fuels in the EU’s shipping sector have come a big step closer.

The new EU directive puts forth demands for the amount of green fuels in vessels’ tanks as well as for the suppliers of alternative fuels.

This means that ships must cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 2 percent from 2025. Then, the percentage will increase gradually to 80 percent in 2050. The shift is meant to happen by increasingly using zero-emission fuels.

The European Parliament writes in a press release on the directive, which was settled early Thursday morning, that it ”would apply to ships above a gross tonnage of 5,000, which are in principle responsible for 90 percent of CO₂ emissions, and to all energy used on board in or between EU ports, as well as to 50 percent of energy used on voyages where the departure or arrival port is outside of the EU or in EU outermost regions.”

Further, half of the fuels used to and from ports outside the EU or in the EU’s outer regions will also be encompassed by the directive’s demands.

”The agreement will ensure a level playing field and make sure that fuel suppliers, ships and maritime operators will have sufficient time to adapt for the new conditions so the maritime sector will deliver on the climate targets,” says Swedish Minister for Infrastructure and Housing Andreas Carlson in a separate press release.

The legislative package was under lengthy negotiations, and Thursday’s agreement maintains most of what has been divulged during discussions – such the aforementioned limit of 2 percent ”sustainable liquid or gas fuels of non-biological origin” inside ships’ tanks from 2025.

The sustainable fuels count e.g. green hydrogen made from sustainable energy sources.

Still, some changes were made to the now-approved text. For instance, there is the inclusion of a duration of special treatment for lesser island nation in the outer areas of the region as well as requirement reductions for ice class ships, built to serve the icy oceans.

Furthermore, there is a demand of electricity availability for vessels at ports.

The provisional agreement was approved by both the EU Commission and the EU Council. Now, it needs formal approval.

Source: Shipping Watch