French shipowner LD Armateurs on Thursday (10 September) said its new RoRo vessel has reached another major milestone in her construction journey with the start of the installation of a wind-assisted propulsion system. 

Following its launch earlier this year, Spirit of Toulouse has completed a journey along the Yangtze River to Shanghai. 

Now in Shanghai, the installation of the vessel’s innovative wind-assisted propulsion system has begun with the fitting of the first of its six 35-metre-high rotors. 

“This highly visible phase marked a significant step forward in bringing to life the world’s biggest low-emission RoRo vessels ever built,” the company said. 

Combining six Norsepower Rotor Sails ™ and two dual-fuel engines capable of running on e-/bio-methanol or marine diesel oil, the Spirit of Toulouse has been specifically designed to substantially reduce emissions while maintaining the highest standards of operational performance and reliability. 

The ship will operate on the Atlantic route, transporting aircraft elements for Airbus between European production sites and the final assembly line in the US. 

“As work progresses in Shanghai, the silhouette of the Spirit of Toulouse is beginning to take shape, bringing this unique vessel one step closer to entering service and setting new standards for sustainable maritime transport,” the company added. 

Photo credit: LD Armateurs
Published: 14 September, 2026

The Marine Energy Transition Forum (METF) 2026 will bring together leading voices from across the global maritime sector on 11 November 2026 at Norton Rose Fulbright, London.

The forum will tackle one of shipping’s most pressing challenges: how to overcome the fuel, technology and infrastructure barriers that continue to slow the industry’s transition to net-zero emissions.

Under the theme “Reframing the maritime decarbonisation roadmap: addressing fuel, technology and infrastructure bottlenecks,” the one-day forum will provide a platform for shipowners, fuel suppliers, technology developers, ports, policymakers and financiers to examine the practical steps needed to accelerate progress while maintaining commercial competitiveness.

As the maritime industry navigates an increasingly complex regulatory and commercial landscape, METF 2026 will focus on delivering practical insight into the challenges—and opportunities—shaping the next phase of the energy transition.

The conference programme will explore five key themes:

• The effectiveness of current regulatory frameworks and policy measures, including regional and international initiatives driving maritime decarbonisation.
• Progress in developing a resilient multi-fuel future, examining investment, fuel availability, supply chains and infrastructure.
• The commercial readiness of emerging technologies, including alternative propulsion systems, vessel optimisation, batteries, carbon capture, wind propulsion and digital solutions.
• Building a supportive business environment for energy transition companies, with discussions covering finance, innovation, scaling businesses and market development.
• The evolving role of ports as critical enablers of shipping’s energy transition through new fuel infrastructure, shore power and energy cluster development.

METF 2026 is designed to encourage open discussion between every part of the maritime value chain, recognising that collaboration across fuel producers, shipowners, ports, technology providers, investors and policymakers will be essential if global decarbonisation ambitions are to be achieved.

The event will feature expert speakers, panel discussions and extensive networking opportunities, enabling delegates to exchange ideas, develop partnerships and gain practical insight into the strategies shaping the future of maritime energy.

Registration for METF 2026 is now open. Further information and registration can be found here. 

Photo credit: ship.energy
Published: 13 August, 2026

With the first FuelEU Maritime compliance data emerging after the inaugural year of greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity reporting for ships trading in the EU, marine insurer Skuld spoke with Joe Bettles, Climate Policy Manager and author of the Countdown newsletter at the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, to examine what the early results reveal: 

The first data on FuelEU Maritime compliance is now emerging, following the first year of reporting against greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity targets for shipping companies trading in the EU.

To better understand what the early results show, we spoke with Joe Bettles, Climate Policy Manager and author of the Countdown newsletter at the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (Center). The Center recently published its analysis of the first reporting year in the article “What did we learn from the first year of FuelEU?”

Under the regulation, shipowners have several options for compliance, including:

• The pooling mechanism, which allows vessels with a compliance surplus to trade it with other vessels.
• The borrowing mechanism, which allows companies to defer a compliance deficit to the following year for a 10% surcharge.
• Meet the target by using low GHG intensity fuels.
• Pay the FuelEU penalty (penalty).

Pooling becomes the preferred option

The first year of reporting indicates that pooling has quickly become the preferred choice. According to data from the European Commission, 92% of vessels used the pooling mechanism, while only 2% used borrowing. The remaining vessels either paid the penalty or met the target by using LNG or other low-GHG energy sources.

Commenting on the findings, Joe Bettles says: “Our insights from the first year of reporting indicate that shipping companies were able to comply with the targets, with most using the pooling mechanism. This shows that FuelEU is working as intended. As we approach the IMO’s upcoming discussion on the Net-Zero Framework (NZF), FuelEU demonstrates that it is possible for the global fleet to comply with a GHG intensity regulation using existing fuels and providing incentives for the uptake of cleaner energy sources.”

A developing market for compliance surplus

The Center’s article also reviews the different pooling platforms available to shipping companies seeking to meet their obligations under the regulation. The price of compliance surplus, averaging around EUR 208/tCO₂eq, remained relatively stable, suggesting that the market matured early, with buyers generally able to find sellers.

On the development of the pooling market, Joe notes: “The prices for trading compliance surpluses remained well below the EUR 640/tCO₂eq penalty for VLSFO, making the pooling mechanism significantly more attractive than paying the penalty.”

Fuel choices remain central to compliance

The role of fuel choice is also important. Looking at fuels supplied to the FuelEU market, the Center estimates that 3.22 million tCO₂eq of reductions, relative to an all-VLSFO fleet, will be required to meet the 2% reduction target between 2025 and 2029. Based on analysis of previous years’ fuel consumption, the Center indicates that LNG may have contributed around one-third of the required reduction. Biofuel blends account for the remainder, with biodiesel and bio-LNG dominating the low-GHG fuel mix.

Joe highlights how the pooling mechanism can help extend the impact of lower-GHG fuels across the fleet: “Although LNG is not a drop-in replacement for VLSFO, the pooling mechanism under FuelEU allows an LNG-fuelled vessel to share its over-compliance with other vessels that cannot physically use LNG. Depending on the engine type in the ship, LNG can remain compliant with the 14.5% reduction target through 2039 and can further extend its compliance through banked surplus or by using liquified biomethane.”

Three early lessons from FuelEU Maritime

Drawing on the first year of reporting, Joe Bettles and the Center identify three lessons that may also be relevant for the IMO in the future.

First, the results indicate that a fuel standard for shipping can work. FuelEU’s first year has created incentives for the use of alternative fuels and a market for those who prefer to pay for emissions compliance.

Second, regulations should include mechanisms that support a broader mix of energy sources. Lower-maturity alternatives, such as wind-assisted propulsion, e-fuels and onshore power, still represented a limited share of the mix.

Third, policy stability and clear reduction pathways can help reduce uncertainty for shipping companies and support the business case for investment in cleaner alternatives.

Supporting knowledge sharing across the maritime value chain

Skuld is a Mission Ambassador to the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, supporting its work as a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and practical insight across the maritime value chain.

“The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping is a highly valuable forum for us at Skuld. It provides access to a broad network of industry stakeholders and helps us stay close to the challenges shipowners face in meeting regulatory requirements and reducing emissions. Just as importantly, it serves as a platform for dialogue and knowledge sharing across the maritime value chain” – Matias Bøe Olsen, Decarbonisation and transition risk lead, Skuld.

Note: Read the full article on FuelEU’s first-year experiences here.

Photo credit: Chris Pagan on Unsplash
Published: 7 August, 2026