The UK Chamber of Shipping has called on the government to ensure that any future domestic UK fuel standard is backed by a mature ship-level reporting and verification system, clear certification rules, tested digital infrastructure and enough time for industry, verifiers and regulators to prepare, warning that regulatory complexity could increase costs and undermine shipping’s competitiveness.
In a policy paper published this week, the industry body warned that the implementation of FuelEU Maritime, which came into force in January 2025, had required substantially more operational and administrative changes across the maritime sector and wider supply chains compared to EU ETS.
To remind, FuelEU Maritime is an EU regulation aimed at increasing the share of renewable and low-carbon fuels in the fuel mix of international maritime transport within the EU. FuelEU Maritime sets requirements on the annual average GHG intensity of energy used by ships trading within the EU or European Economic Area (EEA).
The report stresses that the credibility of any future UK regime will depend on the strength of the evidence base underpinning it. This includes realistic assumptions on future fuel availability, infrastructure deployment, vessel technology uptake and operational behaviour, as well as sufficient flexibility for industry to adjust as markets, supply chains and technologies develop.
The UK Chamber is calling for early and continued engagement between government, industry, verifiers and fuel suppliers to ensure that any UK approach supports investment, avoids unnecessary divergence and gives shipping operators the confidence needed to plan for the transition.
The introduction of FuelEU Maritime has not been without significant challenges, some of which remain outstanding. Compliance timelines have been difficult to meet, and in some cases deadlines have been missed, even where operators acted in good faith and remained operationally compliant.
The implementation of FuelEU Maritime (FEU), according to the report, has required the development of detailed compliance processes covering a wide range of areas, including fuel certification, lifecycle emissions calculations, monitoring plans, reporting obligations, verification procedures, compliance balances, pooling arrangements and the issuance of compliance documentation.
The administrative workload associated with compliance was significantly greater than industry and regulators had anticipated.
The UK Chamber therefore considers there to be an opportunity for the UK government to utilise the experience of the industry in shaping its own policy and regulatory framework.
“Industry supports the objective of maritime decarbonisation, but regulation will only succeed if it is practical, proportionate and internationally aligned,” said Peter Aylott, director of policy at the UK Chamber of Shipping. “The UK has the opportunity to get this right from the outset. That means learning from FuelEU’s implementation and building a system that cuts emissions without creating unnecessary complexity or putting UK shipping at a competitive disadvantage.”
The Chamber calls for a mature ship-level reporting and verification system that is operational, fully tested and aligned with existing international reporting frameworks before compliance obligations begin.
It recommends that the UK should prioritise alignment with emerging IMO fuel certification and lifecycle assessment frameworks, whilst maintaining interoperability with neighbouring regional systems.
It is also pushing for realistic emissions targets based on fuel availability, technical feasibility and infrastructure deployment timelines.
The Chamber argues that the framework should include flexibility compliance mechanisms, clear legal responsibilities and practical implementation arrangements that reflect the diverse operating and contractual structures of the shipping industry.
The UK Chamber of Shipping has also called on the UK government to commit to periodic review and alignment with IMO policy developments.
“FuelEU Maritime has shown that fuel standards are far more complex than setting a target,” said Anna Ziou, chair of the UK Chamber’s carbon working group and director, maritime & regulatory affairs, Carnival Corporation. “Industry stands ready to work with the government and wider stakeholders to help shape a future regime that is credible, deliverable and aligned with global progress through the IMO.”
