Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has announced an emissions surcharge for customers as it prepares to comply with the European Union’s FuelEU Maritime regulation, effective from 1 January 2025.
This regulation, part of the EU’s broader Fit-for-55 package, aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in shipping, with targets starting at a 2 per cent reduction by 2025, reaching up to 80 per cent by 2050.
FuelEU Maritime mandates stricter limits on the GHG intensity of fuels used by vessels calling at EU and European Economic Area (EEA) ports.
Compliance will lead to higher operating costs for MSC as it shifts towards using cleaner, more expensive fuels. To manage these costs, MSC plans to implement a surcharge, similar to those introduced for earlier regulations like IMO 2020 and the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS).
In a recent statement, MSC emphasized its ongoing investment in cleaner technologies, such as its fleet of over 125 dual-fuel LNG vessels.
The company stated that the surcharge will ensure that customers contribute to the higher costs of decarbonisation, aligning shipping operations with new environmental standards.
MSC recently affirmed its strong support and commitment to achieving net decarbonisation by 2050 at the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) High-Level Ocean for the Future meeting in New York on 23 September.