Luxembourg-based shipping group CLdN has launched a new pooling service to enable potential partners comply with more stringent EU environmental norms.
The FuelEU Maritime (FEUM) directive, which entered into force on January 1, 2025, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime sector by promoting the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels.
However, this approach entails higher fuel costs given that biofuels – which can deliver significant reductions in well-to-wake and tank-to-wake emissions – cost between 50-150% more than conventional fossil fuels.
“Biofuels are significantly more expensive and present procurement challenges for companies that do not have the ability to bunker biofuels or are irregularly sailing in EU waters. The financial penalties for not meeting the requirements of FEUM are significant.. For example, a capesize vessel sailing from South America to Rotterdam, would incur penalties of some $50,000 should the vessel not be fuelled with the required tonnage of biofuel to meet the regulatory requirements,” Jasper Meireman , Head of Shipping Operations at CLdN, explained.
Pooling – compliance through partnership
Pooling is a mechanism that provides flexibility for ship owners and operators in achieving regulatory compliance and enables them to avoid these penalties. Companies are allowed to pool the performances of different ships, using the over-performance of one ship to compensate the underperformance of other ships, provided that the total pooled compliance is positive .
This creates a possibility to reward over-compliance and provides incentives for investment in more advanced technologies.
“CLdN is one of the largest short sea shipping operators in the EU. We own more than 30 vessels that sail up to 2.5 million nautical miles per year, mainly in EU waters… All our ships are capable of using either biodiesel or bio-LNG and by adapting our fuel mix to use higher proportions of sustainable biofuels we can help other ship owners and operators comply with the regulations and reduce costs,” Meireman explained.
In 2023, CLdN’s weighted average fleet emissions were 39g CO2/tonne-km.
To reduce fuel consumption and emissions, CLdN has been investing in new, larger, more fuel-efficient ships and in eco upgrades of its existing vessels.
In September 2024, the company confirmed an order for ten 1,100 TEU fuel-efficient load-on/load-off (LoLo) container vessels. The ships will be built by HD Hyundai Mipo in Ulsan, South Korea, with the first unit slated for delivery in January 2027.