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Port & Regulatory

EmissionLink calls for clarity as EU moves to prevent double carbon charges

The emissions management firm welcomed EC’s commitment to avoid duplicate emissions charges but says shipping urgently needs practical guidance on how EU and IMO carbon regimes will work together.

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Philippos Ioulianou, EmissionLink

The following is a commentary by Philippos Ioulianou, Managing Director of EmissionLink, on how the maritime sector needs clear guidance on how how EU and IMO regulations will be reconciled to avoid duplicate carbon costs for shipowners:

The European Commission’s commitment to prevent shipping companies from being charged twice for the same emissions is a welcome step, but the maritime sector now needs clear guidance on how this will work in practice, according to integrated emissions management service EmissionLink.

The principle of avoiding double charging is clear, but the practical reality is far more complex. Shipping is already navigating a crowded regulatory landscape. EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime are now in force, while the IMO is moving towards its own global Net-Zero Framework. Each system has a different scope, timeline, calculation method and commercial logic. Without detailed guidance, avoiding duplicate carbon costs will not be straightforward.

A vessel trading into Europe may be exposed to EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime and future IMO carbon rules. However, the obligations will not always sit with the same party, emissions data may not always be calculated in the same way, and costs may not be recoverable under existing charterparty terms. 

According to EmissionLink, the risk for shipowners is not only paying twice for the same emissions. It also includes reporting twice, calculating twice and building parallel compliance processes that increase cost, complexity and confusion.

“The industry needs to know how EU and IMO obligations will be reconciled, how equivalent payments will be recognised, and what evidence shipowners will need to prove that the same tonne of emissions has not been penalised more than once,” said Philippos Ioulianou, Managing Director of EmissionLink. “This will determine whether carbon regulation is seen as a fair transition tool or simply another cost burden.”

Accurate and auditable emissions data will be more important than ever, but data alone is not enough. Owners and operators also need the expertise to interpret that data across different regulatory schemes and make informed commercial decisions. EmissionLink has already supported the delivery of accurate FuelEU emissions data for more than 600 vessels, giving it first-hand insight into the complexity of compliance across different vessel types and operating profiles.

“Every vessel has a different operating profile, every voyage has a regulatory consequence, and every compliance decision can affect cost exposure, penalties, pooling options, charterparty recovery and future planning,” said Mr Ioulianou. “The challenge is no longer simply submitting the right figure into the right system. It is understanding how current and future emissions schemes interact, how they affect the business, and how to avoid double penalties, duplicated processes and unnecessary costs.”

The company also highlights that carbon pricing will only retain credibility if revenues are clearly directed back into maritime decarbonisation. Speaking at a ShipEnergy forum during Posidonia, Mr Ioulianou argued that EU member states must set out a clear pathway for the use of revenues generated through EU ETS and FuelEU-related mechanisms.

“These funds should be directed back into the maritime sector,” he said. “They should not become a general revenue stream for governments. Demanding that shipping pays more while failing to invest in the infrastructure needed to make decarbonisation possible is not a transition strategy. It is taxation with a green label.”

Whilst the European Commission is right to recognise the risk of duplicate carbon costs, the industry now needs practical, transparent and enforceable rules that support compliance while helping shipping transition to lower-carbon operations.

“Shipping cannot decarbonise on promises alone,” said Mr Ioulianou. “The sector needs clarity, consistency and confidence that regulation will support the transition rather than simply adding cost and complexity.”

 

Photo credit: EmissionLink
Published: 30 June, 2026

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LNG Bunkering

2026 ESG Report: Singapore-based EPS completes 530 LNG bunkering operations

EPS said from the start of recorded data to 31 Dec 2025, the company completed a total of 530 LNG bunkering operations with over 2.4 million m3 of LNG bunkered.

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2026 ESG Report: Singapore-based EPS completes 530 LNG bunkering operations

Singapore-headquartered shipping firm Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) on Monday (29 June) said from the start of recorded data to 31 Dec 2025, the company completed a total of 530 LNG bunkering operations with over 2.4 million cubic meters (m3) of LNG bunkered. 

In its 2026 ESG Report, the company said it continued advancing practical decarbonisation through its dual-fuel fleet expansion, alternative fuels, wind-assisted propulsion, and digital optimisation initiatives, alongside strengthened emissions reporting and third-party assurance.

With over 170 vessels designed to operate on alternative fuels, EPS said its fleet is among the largest dual-fuel fleets in the industry. In 2025, 25% of the fuel consumed by EPS fleet were alternative marine fuels, including LNG, LPG, ethane, and biofuels. 

In 2025, EPS also expanded its use of B100 biodiesel, a renewable fuel derived from sustainably sourced biomass such as used cooking oil, food waste, and agricultural residues, which offers increasing global availability and compatibility with existing marine engines while delivering substantial Well-to-Wake (WtW) emission reductions relative to conventional fossil fuels under certified supply chains. 

In 2025 alone, 94% of the biofuel the company  purchased were B100 grade. Cumulatively, from the start of recorded data to 31 Dec 2025, EPS has completed 61 biofuel bunkering operations with over 33,000 mt of biofuel.

The use of alternative fuels has lowered its emission by 464,610 mt of CO2e relative to conventional marine fuels, and it is equivalent to 9% of its entire Scope 1 emission.

The company added that its investments in wind-assisted propulsion systems, alternative fuels, digital optimisation and operational efficiency reinforced its long-term decarbonisation strategy. 

Since 2018, EPS has invested significantly in maritime decarbonisation, committing at scale to LNG as a transition fuel while progressively deploying a broad range of sustainable solutions across both legacy vessels and newbuild programmes, including ammonia-fuelled vessel orders.

As at the end of 2025, EPS had invested approximately USD 2.6 billion across 15 green projects, with over 51% of the fleet designed to operate on alternative fuels such as LNG, LPG, ethane and ammonia.

 

Photo credit: Eastern Pacific Shipping
Published: 30 June, 2026

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Alternative Fuels

Hitachi Zosen Marine Engine orders Mitsubishi Shipbuilding ammonia fuel handling system

MAmmoSS® will be designed and optimised to be compatible with the ammonia marine engines of Everllence SE and WinGD and will be used for shop tests of both engines after delivery to HZME’s facility.

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Hitachi Zosen Marine Engine orders Mitsubishi Shipbuilding ammonia fuel handling system

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, on Friday (26 June) said it has received an order from Hitachi Zosen Marine Engine (HZME) for its MAmmoSS® ammonia fuel handling system.

HZME is a dual licensee of Everllence SE and WinGD, major licensors of marine engines. MAmmoSS® will be designed and optimized to be compatible with the ammonia marine engines of these two licensors, and after delivery to HZME’s facility, will be used for shop tests of both engines.

The company said decarbonisation in global shipping is a critical issue, and ammonia, which does not emit CO2 when burned, is attracting attention as a next-generation marine fuel that will significantly contribute to reducing GHG emissions in the shipping industry. 

“However, as ammonia is a toxic fluid, safe handling technology onboard ships is essential and is expected to drive demand for MAmmoSS®,” it said. 

Going forward, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding said it will continue to provide safe and reliable products for ammonia-fuelled vessels to support the expected market expansion.

 

Photo credit: Mitsubishi Shipbuilding
Published: 30 June, 2026

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Port & Regulatory

Port of Rotterdam rejects NGO’s demand to phase out of fossil fuel activities

Port Authority says it cannot fulfil AftF’s demand to force companies to limit fossil fuel activities in Rotterdam because this is not aligned with current European and Dutch climate policy and is not part of its role.

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Daniel Agudelo on Unsplash

The Port of Rotterdam Authority recently responded to the demand letter from Advocates for the Future (AftF), reaffirming its commitment to achieving a climate-neutral port by 2050 while rejecting the demand to phase out fossil-fuel activities. 

On 12 May, the legal NGO summoned the Port Authority to take responsibility for its role in the climate crisis and to present a concrete plan for the controlled but rapid phase-out of fossil fuel activities in the Port of Rotterdam.

The Port Authority said it reinforces the need for a transition to a climate neutral port in 2050 and explains how it is actively taking efforts to achieve this goal in collaboration with companies and governments.

“The transition is a priority for the Port Authority. However, it cannot fulfil the AftF’s demand to force companies to limit fossil fuel activities in Rotterdam because this is not aligned with current European and Dutch climate policy and is not part of the Port Authority’s role,” the Port Authority said on its website. 

“Furthermore, it is an ineffective way to reduce worldwide CO2 emissions. The Port Authority is concerned that ceasing fossil fuel activities in Rotterdam could have major consequences, including for the security of supply of energy and the position of European industry.”

The Port Authority also said it does not expect that limiting fossil fuel activities in Rotterdam would contribute to a reduction in global emissions. 

“At present, there is still an insufficient supply of sustainable energy and raw materials to keep society running. Companies therefore continue to fulfil the demand for fossil energy and fossil fuels, while gradual investments are made in the production of sustainable energy and fuels, such as recycled plastics, hydrogen and biofuels,” it added.

“We are seeing the first examples of this in the port, including the largest cluster for biofuels in Europe and two large hydrogen plants under construction.”

The Port Authority said it will continue to implement its strategy and approach to creating a climate neutral port, as laid down in the Climate Transition Plan. 

“At the moment, the Port Authority is refining its scenarios for the transition up to 2050. We are mapping out various paths to a climate neutral, competitive and resilient port and include this in our approach,” it added.

“The Port Authority is certainly open to a continued dialogue with Advocates for the Future and other parties involved in the port.”

 

Photo credit: Daniel Agudelo on Unsplash
Published: 30 June, 2026

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