EmissionLink, an emission scheme management specialist, says approximately 90 per cent of its clients opted to pool compliance balances during the inaugural reporting cycle, covering more than 600 vessels.
FuelEU Maritime, which came into effect in 2025, sets limits on the greenhouse-gas intensity of marine fuels used on voyages linked to the EU. The regulation allows operators to pool compliance balances between vessels, enabling surplus reductions generated by lower-emission ships to offset deficits elsewhere.
EmissionLink said the first compliance cycle included resolving technical and regulatory issues involving ice-class vessels, while also coordinating submissions between shipowners, verifiers and pooling counterparties.
Increased visibility over pooling activity has increased competition among companies seeking to place surplus balances carried forward from the 2025 cycle.
According to EmissionLink, current market conditions indicate a buyer-led environment, with additional surplus volumes contributing to lower pricing for 2026 pooling arrangements. The company added that pricing later in the cycle could depend on the volume of surplus available, alternative fuel costs and how quickly operators with deficit positions secure compliance arrangements.
Philippos Ioulianou, managing director at EmissionLink, said: ‘FuelEU has moved very quickly from theory to commercial reality. For many companies, the challenge was not simply understanding the regulation, but managing the practical steps needed to achieve compliance across fleets, verifiers and pooling counterparties.’
The company expects biofuels to play a larger role in future FuelEU compliance strategies as fuel availability increases and operators assess the cost of generating surplus balances against prevailing pooling prices. Bio-LNG may also continue to be used for compliance purposes, although its uptake is expected to depend on pricing and the value of any surplus generated.
EmissionLink said the first reporting cycle demonstrated that FuelEU compliance is becoming linked to fuel procurement and compliance planning decisions, particularly for operators evaluating whether to generate surplus balances or purchase compliance through pooling arrangements.
‘FuelEU compliance will become more transparent, more competitive and more strategic in future,’ Ioulianou said. ‘The companies that act early, understand their exposure and work with partners who can manage both the regulatory and commercial detail will be best placed to control cost and capture value.’
