Impact of FuelEU Maritime on shore power business case

RegulationsShore PowerCase StudyFuelEURoRo Ships

Sep 21

Because of FuelEU Maritime a shore power refit can save €800 - €3,000 per day extra

This is a case study that determines the impact of FuelEU Maritime on a shore power refit business case up to 2050, taking several ships and varying input parameters to determine the impact under multiple conditions. As FuelEU Maritime will make shore power mandatory in 2030 for passenger- and containerships, this tool will help to determine the impact of that regulation on your business case. Use the Shore Power Quickscan to further customize your own business case, and contact the helpdesk for clarifications.

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Shore Power Quickscan

€199.00

The Shore Power Quickscan is a comprehensive tool designed to provide a business case for a shore power refit onboard vessels, based on IEC/IEEE 80005. It includes CAPEX estimates, operational expenses including fuel costs and engine maintenance, emissions savings as well as key regulations such as FuelEU and EU ETS. This purchase allows you to store your calculations, work offline anywhere, plus print a comprehensive techno-economic feasibility that you can show off to friends or your management.

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Techno-economic feasibility study

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FuelEU Maritime in depth

Regulations

FuelEU Maritime is one of the most stringent upcoming laws on maritime sustainability, enforcing strict fuel reduction targets in combination with penalties on fuel combustion and shore power obligations for container and passenger ships.

Stories

Optimising FuelEU compliance strategy for minimum cost - penalty, pooling, or biofuels?

This case study compares three compliance strategies for FuelEU (paying the penalty (business as usual), buying pool credits from a third party, and blending biofuels) for a representative 4-ship fleet over 2026–2040. Results show that pooling and biofuels both beat business as usual by 6–7%, but it is a coin toss on which is better for you. The outcome is highly sensitive to B100 price and tightens structurally in favour of biofuels after 2030, making this a tipping-point question rather than a one-off choice.

What does it cost to generate electricity onboard a ship?

This case study determines the cost of generating electricity onboard a ship using auxiliary diesel engines to determine when it is more cost-effective to purchase electricity from the grid in port. Results show that fuel costs alone sit around $0.20 per kWh, but once regulatory compliance costs are layered on top, the total effective costs rise sharply to $1.00 per kWh by 2040.

MSAR FuelEU Webinars

EMSA and DG MOVE are hosting a dedicated webinar series aimed at supporting maritime stakeholders in navigating the implementation of FuelEU Maritime and its broader regulatory context. The sessions are designed to provide practical insight into how the regulation will be applied in real-world operations, including its impact on fuel choices, compliance strategies, and commercial decision-making across different vessel types and trades.

Business case to refit a Tanker to use Onshore Power Supply (OPS)

This case study explores the retrofit of the crude oil shuttle tanker Toril Knutsen to use onshore power supply (OPS) during port stays. The analysis assesses onboard retrofit requirements, power demand at berth, CAPEX, and the resulting business case. Total CAPEX is estimated at around $4M for a conservative tanker-specific configuration. Payback can fall in the range of 1 to 4 years, with most value driven by reduced FuelEU, EU ETS, and IMO-related compliance costs.

Impact of reefers on container ship power demand

Reefers (Refrigerated Containers) increase power demand onboard container ships by approximately 4.38 kW per reefer container. The implication is material: even a relatively small share of reefers can account for a disproportionately large share of total berth power demand. Realtime measurements show that even when 1% of all containers onboard a ship are reefers, it can consume almost 20% of the ship’s total energy demand.

Fundamental challenges of shore power (OPS)

If shore power projects were easy, every port would already have them. Instead, developers run into the same fundamental challenges: unpredictable vessel power demand, complex infrastructure decisions, and business cases full of question marks. In this blog we look at those problems, and how our tools help you tackle them.

Shore Power (OPS) price per kWh in EU

AFIR and FuelEU Maritime make the use of onshore power supply (OPS) effectively mandatory but say nothing about what it should cost or how it should be priced. The result is a patchwork of tariff designs and varying levels of transparency, making like-for-like comparisons difficult for shipowners and operators. This blog aims to provide at least some guidance on the matter.

Transition fuels without transition headaches - Q&A with Quadrise

This Q&A session explores how transition fuels can support maritime decarbonization today, without major retrofits or new infrastructure. Together with Quadrise, we discussed MSAR® and bioMSAR™, oil-in-water emulsion fuels designed to improve combustion, reduce emissions, and support compliance under EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime. Relevant for shipowners and operators seeking practical solutions for the existing fleet.

Book and Claim explained - Q&A with Vurdhaan

This Q&A session explores the role of book and claim systems in maritime decarbonization, featuring Himanshu Sharma from Vurdhaan, a platform providing independent registries for Scope 3 emission reductions. Himanshu explains how virtual crediting works, why transparency and verification are key, and how book and claim differs from compliance pooling under FuelEU Maritime.

Plug in or Pay up?

When does the use of shore power become cost-effective for shipowners under new EU and IMO regulations? Using the Shore Power Quickscan, this article breaks down key cost components such as fuel, electricity, EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime, and the upcoming IMO Net-Zero framework and compares cost impact of different routes on a 2,500 TEU containership. Results show that while shore power can already deliver savings from 2025 onwards (!), its competitiveness strengthens sharply after 2030 as compliance costs rise.

Emission Properties for EU ETS, FuelEU and IMO Net-Zero

Shipowners and operators face the challenge of navigating multiple regulatory frameworks - EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime, and IMO Net-Zero - each employing distinct methodologies and emission factors for assessing fuel emissions. This blog provides clear guidance on the differing emission factors and calculation methods employed by each regulatory framework.

Compliance costs per mT of fuel from 2025 until 2050

Accurate assessment of marine fuel costs is becoming increasingly critical as regulatory pressure grows, especially given the recently announced IMO Net-Zero Framework. This blog uses a VLSFO-equivalent cost model to evaluate the impact of FuelEU Maritime, EU ETS, and IMO Net-Zero regulations on a wide range of fuels. By comparing fossil, bio-based, and synthetic fuels under realistic scenarios, the analysis shows that compliance costs - driven by emissions penalties and carbon pricing - are expected to exceed fuel prices by 2030 for many options.

FuelEU and IMO Net-Zero Framework explained - Q&A with Normec Verifavia

This Q&A session explores the upcoming IMO Net-Zero Framework, featuring Rajat Bishnoi and Yuvraj Thakur from Normec Verifavia, an accredited verifier supporting shipowners with emissions reporting and regulatory compliance. They explain the new GHG Fuel Intensity and Fuel Standard requirements, compare them to FuelEU Maritime, and discuss penalties, registry systems, and practical implications for shipowners preparing for 2027–2028 enforcement.

Shore power electricity demand in EU ports from 2030 onwards

Accurate estimation of shore power demand at EU ports has become essential due to strict regulations like AFIR, which requires electrification for 90% of port calls by container and passenger ships at TEN-T ports by 2030. This blog evaluates three methods—using EU MRV fuel data, Sustainable Ships’ ship-specific power database, and ICCT research—to estimate the Total Addressable Market (TAM) for shore power. Results show the total annual electricity demand across EU ports is between approximately 6 and 13 TWh, highlighting the significant scale of infrastructure investment ahead.

Impact of FuelEU Maritime on solar PV for bulk carrier

This case study explores a 100 kWp solar PV system installed on the hatch covers of a handymax bulk carrier. Operating primarily in Northern Europe, the system offsets auxiliary engine load during idle periods, leading to estimated savings of ~$350,000 between 2025 and 2035. With a CAPEX of $100,000, the payback period is around three years. Most savings come from fuel reduction, with additional benefits from EU ETS and FuelEU compliance. The business case is most sensitive to engine efficiency (SFC) and fuel price.

Business case for an offshore construction vessel with a shore power battery

This case study evaluates a mobile shore power battery barge designed for an offshore construction vessel in the Port of Rotterdam. An average power demand of 2.4 MW and a peak demand of 5 MW is assumed. This results in the requirement of twelve 20-ft containerized batteries integrated into a High Voltage Shore Connection (HVSC) system. Total costs of the power barge are estimated at $9.5M with a yearly revenue of approx. $2.5M.

Fuel and compliance costs for offshore workboat in North Sea

Operating an offshore workboat in the North Sea area until 2050 will impose significant financial and operational pressure due to tightening environmental regulations and mounting compliance obligations. Modelling of compliance costs shows a clear tipping point in 2040, with FuelEU Maritime becoming the dominant driver, although FuelEU currently applies to vessels above 5,000 GT only. Results for a large offshore workboat operating year-round in the North Sea show that the maximum projected cost exposure could reach up to $250 million between now and 2050.

Business case for a Feedermax containership with a shore power battery

This case study evaluates a mobile shore power battery barge designed for a 1,730 TEU containership in the Port of Rotterdam. An average power demand of 329 kW and a peak demand of 1 MW is assumed. This results in the requirement of two 20-ft containerized batteries integrated into a Low Voltage Shore Connection (LVSC) system. Estimated savings for the ship reach €500 per 24-hour period, primarily due to reduced FuelEU compliance costs, which could exceed €600,000 over 10 years.

Choosing the right fuel: a brief guide to future prices and compliance costs

This case study analyzes 10 marine fuels using an HFO-equivalent model to determine their full lifecycle costs, including fuel prices and regulatory compliance costs, from 2025 to 2050. The results highlight a critical tipping point in 2040, driven by the FuelEU Maritime regulation increasing carbon intensity reduction targets sharply from 14.5% to 31%. This blog provides shipowners with guidance on how to navigate these evolving cost scenarios and maintain competitiveness to ensure future-proof investments.

FuelEU & EU ETS compliance costs for a 3,000 TEU Panamax containership

This case study determines the costs of compliance for a 3,000 TEU Panamax containership with respect to FuelEU and EU ETS. Estimated annual compliance costs for business as usual range from $2.5M in 2025 to $23M in 2050. Two different pathways are evaluated to determine mitigation options and OPEX costs: shore power and wind-assisted propulsion. Savings for shore power are approx. $400k per year in 2025, savings for wind-assisted propulsion are approx. $600k in 2025.

FuelEU + EU ETS compliance costs for CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd and COSCO

This case study calculates and compares EU ETS and FuelEU compliance costs for three major shipping companies: CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd and COSCO. From 2025 until 2050, these three companies will pay a total compliance cost of $54B (CMA CGM), $25B (Hapag-Lloyd) and $32B (COSCO).

Compliance costs of VLSFO vs. bio-methanol vs. e-ammonia

This case study calculates and compares the compliance costs with regards to EU ETS and FuelEU for VLSFO, bio-methanol and e-ammonia. Results show that the averaged compliance costs for VLSFO between 2025 and 2050 are $966 per mT.

FuelEU pooling with full electric chemical tanker

This case study determines the effects of pooling a fully electric small-sized chemical tanker with similar type vessels in the context of FuelEU Maritime. The results show that a single electric ship can include up to 69 ships in its pool in 2025, each ship consuming 2,555 mT MDO per year.

What is the average shore power demand of a container ship?

Accurate estimates of containership power demand are becoming increasingly critical due to stringent regulations, such as FuelEU Maritime, in combination with technical complexities. Ship power demand varies significantly depending on size, onboard equipment installed, and operational profile. These uncertainties places considerable pressure on terminal owners, port authorities, and developers to design and implement shore power infrastructure. This blog aims to provide guidance on this issue.

How to decarbonize your ship - RoRo Cargo + shore power + FuelEU

This case study determines the impact of FuelEU Maritime on a shore power refit for a RoRo Cargo ship under multiple loading and operational conditions. Pending on the amount of days connected to the grid and the average load while moored, it is estimated that shore power can save €250,000 per year.

How to decarbonize your ship - battery hybrid + varying engine load

This case study also examines a general cargo ship with an auxiliary engine of 116 kW that is outfitted with a battery to make it a ‘battery hybrid’ while at berth. Again the battery pack powers the ship for several hours while idling or moored and is recharged using the auxiliary engines. This time however, engine load is varied in different loading scenarios to determine the impact of different operational profiles on the business case.

How to decarbonize your ship - general cargo ship with battery hybrid

This case study examines a general cargo ship with an auxiliary engine of 116 kW that is outfitted with a battery to make it a ‘battery hybrid’ while at berth. The battery pack powers the ship for several hours while idling or moored and is recharged using the auxiliary engines. Cost savings generally occur with an average engine load below 50%, but are mostly dependent on engine maintenance costs, spares and consumables as well as total battery pack costs.

Impact of FuelEU Maritime on shore power business case

How to decarbonize your ship - Feeder + Shore Power

This is a techno-economic case study that provides guidance for decarbonizing a feeder by means of a shore power refit. Shore power will be made mandatory by 2030 for these ship types as per FuelEU Maritime regulation. A step-by-step approach is given to estimate costs, analyse technical feasibility, and create a business case for the shore power refit in general.

Optimize your FuelEU Maritime pooling strategy

The FuelEU Maritime pooling mechanism is complex. The FuelEU Pool Tool makes it simple. Use this tool to compare cost impact of FuelEU, EU ETS and the fuel itself when pooling up to ten different ships. Blend different quantities of fuel, change fuel properties and compare the cost outlook until 2050 to make your very own FuelEU pooling strategy.

Rules and RegulationsEUFuelEUFuelEU MaritimeShore PowerRo-Ro ShipsRoRo PassengerEuropeCase StudyShore Power Quickscan5000 GT +

Vincent Doedee

Impact of FuelEU Maritime on shore power business case

Because of FuelEU Maritime a shore power refit can save €800 - €3,000 per day extra

Download Tool

Techno-economic feasibility study

FuelEU Maritime in depth

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How to decarbonize your ship - general cargo ship with battery hybrid

How to decarbonize your ship - Feeder + Shore Power