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EU Fit for 55: Council of European Union reaches general approaches relating to emissions reductions

Council agreed to include maritime shipping emissions within the scope of the EU emissions trading system and introduced an opt-in for all fossil fuels.

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The Council of the European Union on Wednesday (29 June) adopted its negotiating positions (general approaches) on important legislative proposals in the ‘Fit for 55’ package and is now ready to negotiate with the European Parliament on concluding the package. 

The member states adopted a common position on EU emissions trading system (EU ETS), effort-sharing between member states in non-ETS sectors (ESR), emissions and removals from land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), the creation of a social climate fund (SCF) and new CO2 emission performance standards for cars and vans.

These agreements will pave the way for negotiations with the European Parliament.

Presented by the European Commission on 14 July 2021, the package will enable the European Union to reduce its net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and to achieve climate neutrality in 2050.

“The achievement, led by the French Presidency, of an agreement between the member states on the ‘Fit for 55’ package is a crucial step in attaining our climate objectives within the main sectors of the economy,” said Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Minister for the energy transition.

“The ecological and energy transition will require the contribution of all sectors and all member states, in a fair and inclusive manner. The Council is now ready to negotiate with the European Parliament on concluding the package, thereby placing the European Union more than ever in the vanguard of fighting climate change,” she said. 

EU emissions trading system

The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) is a carbon market based on a system of cap-and-trade of emission allowances for energy-intensive industries and the power generation sector.

The Council agreed to keep the overall ambition of 61% of emissions reductions by 2030 in the sectors covered by the EU ETS, proposed the Commission.

The Council also agreed to a one-off reduction of the overall emissions ceiling by 117 million allowances (“re-basing”) and to the increase in the annual reduction rate of the cap by 4,2% per year (“linear reduction factor”).

The Council endorsed the proposal to strengthen the market stability reserve (MSR), by prolonging, beyond 2023, the increased annual intake rate of allowances (24 %) and setting a threshold of 400 million allowances above which those placed in the reserve were no longer valid.

The Council agreed to make the launch of the mechanism that activates the release of MSR quotas on the market, in case of excessive price rise, automatic and more reactive.

As regards sectors covered by the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the Council endorsed the proposal to end free allowances for the sectors concerned by the CBAM progressively, over a ten-year period between 2026 and 2035. However, the Council accepted a slower reduction at the beginning and an accelerated rate of reduction at the end of this 10-year period. Support for the decarbonisation of these sectors will be possible through the Innovation Fund. The Council also asked the Commission to monitor the impact of the CBAM, including on carbon leakage at export, and to assess whether additional measures were needed.

As regards the Modernisation Fund, the Council maintained the increase in its volume through the auctioning of an additional 2.5 % of the ceiling, the increase in the share of priority investments to 80 % and the addition of new eligible sectors, as proposed by the Commission. The Council decided to extend the list of member states benefiting from the Modernisation Fund. Natural gas projects will in principle not be eligible for the Fund. However, the Council introduced a transitional measure allowing the beneficiaries of the Fund to continue financing natural gas projects under certain conditions.

The Council also strengthened certain provisions of the Innovation Fund, in particular as regards the capacity aimed at making participation in projects more effective and geographically balanced, while preserving the principle of excellence in project allocation. The Council agreed to pay particular attention to decarbonising the maritime sector under the Innovation Fund.

The Council improved the governance and transparency of both funds.

An additional transitional free allocation can be granted under certain conditions to the district heating sector in certain member states subject to certain conditions, in order to encourage the decarbonisation of that sector.

The Council agreed to include maritime shipping emissions within the scope of the EU ETS. The general approach accepts the Commission proposal on the gradual introduction of obligations for shipping companies to surrender allowances. As member states heavily dependent on maritime transport will naturally be the most affected, the Council agreed to redistribute 3.5 % of the ceiling of the auctioned allowances to those member states. In addition, the general approach takes into account geographical specificities and proposes transitional measures for small islands, winter navigation and journeys relating to public service obligations, and strengthens measures to combat the risk of carbon leakage in the maritime sector.

The general approach includes non-CO2 emissions in the MRV regulation from 2024 and introduces a review clause for their subsequent inclusion in the EU ETS.

The Council agreed to create a new, separate emissions trading system for the buildings and road transport sectors. The new system will apply to distributors that supply fuels for consumption in the buildings and road transport sectors. However, the start of the auctioning and surrender obligations will be delayed by one year compared to the Commission proposal (auctioning of allowances from 2027 onwards and surrender from 2028 onwards). The emissions reduction trajectory and the linear reduction factor set at 5.15 from 2024 and 5.43 from 2028 would remain as proposed by the Commission. The Council maintained the proposal to auction an additional 30% of the auction volume for the first year of the launch of the system, so that it runs smoothly (“frontloading”).

The Council introduced an opt-in for all fossil fuels. It introduced simplified monitoring, reporting and verification requirements for small fuel suppliers.

The Council added a temporary possibility for member states to exempt suppliers from the surrender of allowances until December 2030, if they are subject to a carbon tax at national level, the level of which is equivalent or higher than the auction price for allowances in the ETS for the buildings and transport sector.

The Council agreed to phase out free emission allowances for the aviation sector gradually by 2027 and align the proposal with the global Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). The EU ETS will apply for intra-European flights (including the United Kingdom and Switzerland), while CORSIA will apply to EU operators for extra-European flights to and from third countries participating in CORSIA. The Council agreed to set aside 20 million of the phased-out free allowances to compensate for the additional costs associated with the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). In addition, the Council agreement takes into account specific geographical circumstances and, in that context, proposes limited transitional derogations.

Note: The full statement by Council of the European Union can be viewed here

 

Photo credit: Guillaume Périgois on Unsplash
Published: 30 June, 2022

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Emissions reporting

ZeroNorth and Veracity by DNV launch end-to-end emissions reporting, verification service

New offering combines ZeroNorth’s Vessel Reporting and Emissions Analytics platform with Veracity platform and DNV’s Emissions Connect verification services to deliver an end-to-end compliance solution.

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ZeroNorth and Veracity by DNV launch end-to-end emissions reporting, verification service

Maritime technology solutions provider ZeroNorth on Friday (16 May) said it has partnered with Veracity by DNV to launch a fully integrated emissions reporting and verification service for the maritime industry. 

Teekay is the first customer that will be implementing the service across its fleet, following successful testing and development.

As regulatory requirements tighten, ZeroNorth said maritime operators face growing demands for emissions transparency and reporting integrity. At the same time, poor data quality remains an industry-wide challenge. 

“The new offering combines ZeroNorth’s Vessel Reporting and Emissions Analytics platform with the Veracity platform and DNV’s Emissions Connect verification services to deliver an end-to-end compliance solution,” the company said in a statement. 

“The offering simplifies compliance by integrating automated data reporting with expert validation, reducing administrative burdens and improving data reliability.”

A key differentiator is the multi-layered data quality feedback loop, which ensures emissions data undergoes rigorous validation at multiple stages. Verification warnings from Veracity by DNV are automatically flagged to ZeroNorth’s data quality team, which then works directly with vessel crews to resolve discrepancies before final submission to authorities. 

This reduces compliance risks and enhances regulatory confidence while supporting continuous monitoring of EU MRV, IMO DCS, CII ratings, EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime compliance.

Teekay, a long-standing customer of ZeroNorth, participated in early testing of the solution and providing operational feedback. Since its successful implementation with Teekay, the service has been rolled out to two additional customers, and further deployments are underway.

Anders Schulze, Chief Operations Officer at ZeroNorth, said: “The maritime industry faces growing pressure to ensure emissions data is not just reported, but verified to the highest standards. Yet fragmented systems and manual processes continue to undermine data quality and increase compliance risk. 

“By combining ZeroNorth’s data and analytics capabilities with Veracity by DNV’s verification expertise, we are directly addressing this challenge. Our goal is to build trust in emissions data and reduce complexity for shipowners and charterers. We’re especially pleased that Teekay, a long-time partner, played a central role in shaping and validating the service.”

Mikkel Skou, Managing Director at Veracity by DNV, said: “At Veracity by DNV, the value of our ecosystem is built on strong partnerships, exemplified by our collaboration with ZeroNorth.

“By integrating trusted data and solutions like ZeroNorth’s Vessel Reporting and Emissions Analytics platform, we create a robust network that supports collaboration and drives sustainable growth in the maritime industry. 

“We look forward to continuing working towards our ambition to deliver trust and connectivity to the industry through this partnership with ZeroNorth.”

Mikkel Seidelin, Chief Commercial Officer at Teekay, said: “Partnering with ZeroNorth improves our ability to navigate complexities seamlessly, leveraging on data and technology to optimise our performance and reduce inefficiencies.

“When we are equipped with verified, end-to-end data, it empowers us as owners towards seamless decision-making, resulting in real sustainable and operational target-achievements.”

 

Photo credit: ZeroNorth
Published: 16 May, 2025

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LNG Bunkering

Singapore: FueLNG achieves 400th LNG bunkering operation milestone

Bunker tanker “FueLNG Bellina” successfully delivered LNG bunker fuel to “BYD Shenzhen”, the world’s largest LNG-fuelled car carrier at Singapore anchorage during its maiden voyage.

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Singapore: FueLNG achieves 400th LNG bunkering operation milestone

Singapore’s licensed LNG bunker supplier FueLNG on Thursday (15 May) announced the successful completion of its 400th LNG ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering operation in the republic.

FueLNG, a joint venture between Keppel Offshore & Marine and Shell Eastern Petroleum Pte Ltd, marked the milestone with bunker tanker FueLNG Bellina successfully refuelling BYD Shenzhen, the world’s largest LNG-fuelled car carrier, at Singapore anchorage during its maiden voyage.

“With a capacity of 9,200 vehicles and equipped with dual-fuel LNG propulsion, the BYD SHENZHEN represents the next generation of low-emission maritime transport,” it said in a social media post. 

Shell said it supported BYD Shenzhen on its maiden voyage as the supplier of the LNG bunker fuel. 

“Like all LNG dual fuel vessels, BYD Shenzhen is on the pathway to net zero emissions. She can take bio-LNG, and in the future e-LNG, in her fuel mix for further emission reduction and regulatory compliance,” it said in a separate social media post. 

 

Photo credit: Shell
Published: 16 May, 2025

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Biofuel

Hong Kong: CPN hits new record for China’s largest B24 biofuel bunkering operation

Chimbusco Pan Nation delivered 6,300 mt of B24-VLSFO in Hong Kong to boxship “XIN LOS ANGELES” on 15 May, exceeding its previous record of 5,500 mt delivered in February 2025.

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Hong Kong: CPN hits new record for China's largest B24 biofuel bunkering operation

Hong Kong-based bunker supplier Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical (CPN) on Friday (16 May) said it has set a record for China’s largest B24 marine biofuel bunkering operation.

CPN said it delivered 6,300 metric tonnes (mt) of B24-VLSFO in Hong Kong to container ship XIN LOS ANGELES on 15 May. 

The supply exceeded CPN’s previous record of 5,500 mt delivered to the same ship in February 2025.

“This collaboration reinforces CPN’s ability to execute large-scale marine biofuel bunkering with precision and reliability,” the company said in a social media post.

“By consistently supplying large volumes of B24 marine biofuel, CPN supports reduced carbon emissions and sustainable shipping practices globally.”

Related: CPN achieves largest B24 bio bunker fuel delivery in Hong Kong and China

 

Photo credit: Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical
Published: 16 May, 2025

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