Marine Fuels 360: New regulations and technologies chart course for maritime decarbonisation

The maritime industry is facing an increasingly complex regulatory landscape as it strives to meet decarbonisation targets, with new frameworks including the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and FuelEU Maritime, alongside an upcoming IMO net zero framework, driving significant change, heard delegates at the Marine Fuels 360 conference in Singapore on Wednesday (8 October).

Kapil Berry, Business Development Director, Maritime, DNV highlighted each new regulation presents a more intricate scenario than the last, making compliance and strategic planning crucial for shipowners during his presentation ‘Leveraging Technology for Decarbonisation’.

“Though biofuels are currently considered the easiest drop-in bunker fuels to meet immediate compliance needs for FuelEU Maritime and IMO net zero goals, technological solutions remain at the forefront of this transition,” informed Berry.

He shared Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems (WAPS), encompassing designs such as rotor sails and rigid wings, can achieve 5-20% fuel savings when installed. However, their implementation requires careful consideration of trading areas, air drafts, deck strengthening, and potential impacts on bridge visibility, with planning often needing at least two years before drydocking.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is also emerging as a significant pathway. Projections from DNV’s latest Maritime Forecast report suggest if 20 major ports establish offloading facilities and the largest bulk carriers, containerships, and tankers are fitted with CCS, it could offload approximately 90% of emissions from those vessels. This translates to 9% of overall maritime emissions, equivalent to 25 million metric tonnes (mt) of oil consumption by 2030.

Beyond advanced technologies, energy efficiency measures are emphasised as the “lowest hanging fruits” that can be implemented immediately, stated Berry.

He pointed out a DNV publication detailing over 40 energy efficiency technologies suggesting potential savings of up to 16% for shipowners.

Crucially, the transition towards net-zero shipping demands robust data management, believed Berry.

“The shift from manual reporting to automated, standardised, and verified data flows is essential for compliance with ETS, FuelEU Maritime, and net zero frameworks, as decisions involving millions or billions of dollars hinge on accurate data,” he said.

“To support the industry, DNV has developed a long-standing expert service available via email, providing responses within 24 hours, or four hours for urgent queries, routed through global data centres.”

Related: DNV launches new report on energy-efficiency measures and technologies for shipowners

Photo credit: Informa
Published: 16 October 2025