Due to delays in the process of incorporating the FuelEU Maritime Regulation into the EEA Agreement, it is unlikely that Norway will implement it by 1 January 2025. This means that the Norwegian regulation cannot be established before the new year.
“We have worked hard to ensure the new legislation enters into force in Norway on 1 January 2025. The Norwegian legislation is ready to be adopted but can only take effect following a decision by the EEA Joint Committee,” said Alf Tore Sørheim, interim director general of shipping and navigation.
The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) has indicated that this delay means that Norwegian and Icelandic ports will be regarded as third-country ports in relation to the FuelEU regulation from January 1, 2025, until the incorporation in the EEA Agreement is completed.
“This means that during this period only half of the energy consumed between a port of call in Norway or Iceland and a port of call in the EU will fall under the scope of FuelEU. Energy consumed on voyages within Norway or between Norway and non-EU countries during this period will remain outside the scope of FuelEU,” noted Marte Hustveit Hauge, senior advisor in the Department for Legislation and International Relations.
In this regard, it is important to ensure that voyages to, from and within Norway and Iceland are treated uniformly by all shipping companies, verifiers and administering states.
The NMA has therefore been in contact with the EU Commission, which is considering publishing information about the issue on its website and informing verifiers directly.
Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 on the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport (FuelEU Maritime) was adopted by the EU on 13 September 2023. The regulation consists of a common EU framework to ensure the use of alternative energy sources in shipping, with the main requirements coming into force in the EU on January 1, 2025.
The Norwegian Maritime Authority has previously urged all shipping companies covered by the regulation to comply with the EU deadlines for preparing a FuelEU monitoring plan. The authority recommends preparing such plans before the regulation is implemented in Norway.
The work of the NMA has been organised around the implementation of the legislation in Norway by 1 January 2025, and the legislative changes were circulated for comments from 23 August until 29 October 2024.
The industry has expressed concern over the delay in incorporating the FuelEU Maritime into the EEA Agreement.
Several stakeholders have stressed that it is important to clarify how the delay will impact their operations.
“We understand that this delay is challenging for some stakeholders but please rest assured that the NMA is working hard to emphasise the urgency of the matter to those responsible for making the decision,” said Sørheim.
