The EU Council has approved new legislation to reduce the carbon footprint of the shipping industry. The FuelEU maritime initiative aims to drive the uptake of renewable and low-carbon fuels, helping the shipping industry contribute to global climate targets. Spanish Minister of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda, Raquel Sánchez Jiménez, said: “The new law will provide legal certainty for ship operators and fuel producers and help kick-start the large-scale production of sustainable maritime fuels, thus substantially delivering on our climate targets at the European and global level.” As a key component of the EU’s Fit for 55 package, the legislation aims to align maritime transport with the EU’s climate targets for 2030 and 2050, playing a crucial role in achieving the goals set by the European climate law. The new regulation includes several key provisions to steer the industry towards sustainability. One of the central measures is the gradual reduction of greenhouse gas intensity in fuels used by the shipping sector over time, starting with a 2% decrease in 2025, eventually reaching 80% by 2050. To support the uptake of renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) with high decarbonisation potential, the regulation establishes a special incentive regime. Furthermore, the legislation excludes fossil fuels from the certification process. Following the law’s formal adoption by the Council, the new regulation will be published in the EU’s official journal after the summer and will enter into force the twentieth day after this publication. The new rules will apply from 1 January 2025, apart from articles 8 and 9 which will apply from 31 August 2024.
