Case studies

Illustrative examples on decarbonization measures, costs and regulations

Vincent Doedee 3/26/25 Vincent Doedee 3/26/25

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.

Vincent Doedee 3/7/25 Vincent Doedee 3/7/25

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.

Vincent Doedee 2/28/25 Vincent Doedee 2/28/25

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.

Vincent Doedee 2/11/25 Vincent Doedee 2/11/25

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).

Vincent Doedee 1/31/25 Vincent Doedee 1/31/25

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.