The UK Chamber of Shipping has called on the government in a new policy document to steer clear of the issues that have arisen under FuelEU Maritime regulations during the process of introducing new marine fuel standards. This recently published document highlights the administrative challenges and compliance requirements that have created an additional burden for tanker owners and regulatory bodies.
Problems Arising from FuelEU Maritime Regulations
The FuelEU Maritime regulations, set to be implemented from January 2025, have placed significantly more administrative burdens on tanker owners and regulatory bodies than anticipated. In this 22-page report, the Chamber of Shipping points to issues such as reporting deadlines, fuel certification, greenhouse gas emissions calculations, and compliance aggregation arrangements. Some operators have been unable to meet the set deadlines despite fulfilling their operational commitments, and existing inconsistencies among approval systems have led to additional work.
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Requests from the UK Chamber of Shipping
The UK Chamber of Shipping has called for the establishment of a fully tested monitoring and reporting system at the ship level before compliance requirements are introduced. This body also emphasizes the need for regulations independent of fuel type, setting realistic emissions targets based on fuel availability and infrastructure readiness, as well as flexibility for owners and operators to meet their commitments without causing unnecessary commercial disruption.
Peter Aylott, the Chamber's policy director, stated that the UK government has an opportunity to learn from the European Union's experiences and should not create a legal system that increases costs and complexities again.
This report also calls for close coordination with the emerging requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to prevent the repetition of certification, reporting, and verification requirements.
This intervention comes as the UK Department for Transport is preparing to consult on domestic marine fuel standards, with this consultation expected to take place later this year.
The UK's maritime carbon reduction strategy, introduced in March 2025, aims for a 30% reduction in greenhouse gases related to domestic shipping by 2030, increasing this target to 80% by 2040 and zero by 2050 compared to 2008 levels. The government has also identified fuel regulations and emissions pricing as central measures to achieve these goals.
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