EUROPEAN Union members have finally agreed on FuelEU Maritime, aimed at increasing the amount of green fuel in the marine fuel mix in the future.

Anne Steffensen, director general and chief executive officer of Danish Shipping, said, “It is vital that we now have an agreement on FuelEU Maritime. More than anything, the industry asks for clarity to create certainty for offtake for fuel suppliers.”

The extensive regulation of FuelEU Maritime was agreed upon in Brussels.

With the new agreement, ships within the EU must already use 2 percent green fuel in the tanks from 2025, and the proportion will slowly increase year by year before reaching 80 percent in 2050.

The EU discussed the clear targets for the shipping industry and called on EU ports. The gradual increase in targets will allow the industry to adapt and reward first movers who are investing in new and expensive e-fuels.

New green fuels are required, and the production and infrastructure can be scaled with much less risk than before.

They discussed leveling the playing field by introducing a 2-percent subtarget for e-fuels in 2034 if the uptake amount to less than 1 percent in 2030.

The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fuels used by ships must be gradually reduced by 2050 by adding green fuel in ships’ fuel tanks.

“The agreement on FuelEU Maritime will set the course for cutting GHG emissions from ships, increase the use of more renewable fuels and support the maritime sector in contributing to the EU’s goal of climate neutrality by 2050,” she said.

In January, Danish Shipping together with 46 signatories asked decisionmakers to reward first movers who choose new, more expensive e-fuels to comply with the regulation to stimulate the demand for those fuels.

In practice, introducing a “multiplier” mechanism encourages the right market behaviors. This request was included in the final agreement along with a requirement to mix in 2 percent e-fuel by 2034.

“E-fuels are far from available in sufficient quantities and thus, it requires extensive planning to ensure sufficient supply when bunkering around the globe. Therefore, a mechanism is needed to incentivize the uptake, and we are pleased that the multiplier mechanism is included in the final paper,” Steffensen said.

The informal deal on sustainable maritime fuel rules still needs to be formally approved by the Council Committee of Permanent Representatives and the Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee, and then the parliament and council as a whole.